Physician assisted suicide is a term that is commonly used to refer to an action of helping an individual to take away his or her life. This can involve providing the individual with means like equipment and drugs which can aid in ending the life of the individual. Currently, physician assisted suicide is under debate due to the moral, religious and legal concepts that are linked to it. Physician assisted suicide may be considered legal or illegal under some jurisdiction. It is important to consider Craig’s case in the movie ‘the suicide tourist’ when analyzing physician assisted suicide cases. His traumatic condition and his opting for physician assisted suicide can determine the perception of most individuals before and after viewing this movie.
Craig after being diagnosed with ALS at the age of 59 years, he points out that as much as he would love to live, he says that there is no need of inflicting suffering on his family; hence, he would rather die. He consults with his wife who is against it but finally they come to agree to do this in a state that legally accepts assisted suicide, which is in Switzerland. Craig anticipates the objections that will come with this act, but opts for it as it is the best option left for him. For his assisted suicide, he is given a lethal sedative which slowly takes away his life in the company of his wife Mary who watches painfully.
Before viewing this film, I thought that assisted suicide is the most inhuman action that any individual can engage and be involved in. before watching this film, I believed that assisted suicide is not justified as it goes against the human right to life. Assisted suicide according to moral value, is not acceptable in most of the countries, hence, not many countries advocate for this practice.
After watching this film, for Craig Ewert who has suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS, which is a traumatic disease, I would support assisted suicide by physicians. When considering the pain and suffering that Craig had to undergo. It reached a point that he was being treated like some meat that is being g refrigerated so that it remains fresh. At some point, this disease made his life to be totally dependent on machines and without these machines he could not manage. His life revolved around being helped to do everything including taking care of his body.
I think this form of life can be devastating to the patient himself and even to the individuals taking care of the patient. The patient always feels like he gives to much burden to the rest of the family. More so, the patients family, like for this instance, the wife underwent so much trauma. Seeing the person you love so much suffer and only be helped to stay alive by the use of machines. It is like the patient is a dead meat that is trying to be kept fresh, although not alive. Therefore, after watching this film, I would highly support assisted suicide and the countries which allow this act legally should not be considered to be zones of tourist suicide but they should be considered to be helpful to the individuals who have suffered for long periods of time. I have changed my opinion on assisted suicide since I feel like it is wrong to subject human to so much pain when assisted suicide can be facilitated to reduce the pain and suffering of most of the ailing patients who find themselves in similar conditions.
The opinion given by the wife like allowing the children and the whole family to understand why everything had to happen in this particular way influenced my opinion. This enhanced the fact that assisted suicide when done with the consent from the family members and acceptance from the patient, then there should be no hindrances. In this film, the wife understands her husband’s painful situation and hence, supports him through his mission.
The act of physician assisted suicide should not be considered as propaganda but should be considered a realistic expression of dilemma that families undergo. Like for the case of the film, the suicide tourist, the family and the patient were in a dilemma but going for assisted suicide gave the family a relief of traumatizing events. Through this act, the family has reduced the long suffering duration they would undergo when keeping their father alive under the monitoring from the machines.
Prescribing of medication to end patients’ life who have gone through so much pain should be considered. This should be incorporated especially in cases whereby, the patient is under so much pain while the family is traumatized by all the devastating events that prolonged illness can come with.
Work cited
Barry, Vincent E. Bioethics: At the Beginning and End of Life. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth,
2011. Print.
