as a punishment. Aid-in-dying is not killing. Killing means doing something to somebody against their will to end their life. Physician aid-in-dying is doing something with someone who requests it to end their dying. Murder and killing are done against the victim’s will. Physician aid-in-dying is done with the wishes of the person who petitions it. So the words murder and killing are inappropriate when referring to physician assistance in dying. In 1995, the Center for Ethics in Health Care at the Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland surveyed 2,761 of the state’s physicians after Oregon voters passed Measure 16 allowing physician aid-in-dying. This was the result:73% believed that terminally ill persons have the right to suicide; 66% believed that physician assisted suicide is ethical; 60% believed that physician assisted suicide should be legal; 46% would be willing to comply with a patient’s valid request; 21% had been asked for a lethal prescription in the past year; 7% had written a lethal prescription before Measure 16 passed.Some opponents argue that, if physicians become killers, they will lose the respect of their patients and many people will be afraid to go to a doctor. A doctor, who helps mercifully to end suffering, gains respect because of the compassion such an act conveys. Families are grateful to physicians who help them in such a grave situation. People appreciate a veterinarian who ‘puts to sleep’ a pet to end suffering. These people do not suspect that this same veterinarian will kill other pets brought in to them for healing. People loyally return to their veterinarian ‘who is there when you need it the most.’ Different religions have different views when it comes to assisted suicide. Many religions leave it to their members’ individual conscience. The Roman Catholic Church prohibits the choice, defining it as a “mortal sin.” Fifty-five percent of t...
