by Katerina Maher

Created on: May 25, 2007

Choice. We hear that word a lot now. Although, I agree choice is fundamentally what makes us human, where do we draw the line? Every choice we make affects everyone around us. Have we assessed who is affected in physician-assisted euthanasia? Have we clarified the difference between the right to refuse treatment and the right to euthanasia? And when will we look underneath and see a huge underlying theme in our usage of "choice"? Let's start as every debate does: a definition.

The right to "physician-assisted euthanasia" is essentially the right to suicide. Very plainly suicide is "the intentional taking of one's own life" (Dictionary.com Unabridged, v. 1.1). Euthanasia is a highly thought-out process where both the patient and the physician must be involved in the patient's decision to "take one's own life". Let there be no confusion about this. Suicide is a completely selfish action, and so is euthanasia, but that comes later. Let's also clarify that the "right to die" is very different from the "right to refuse treatment". A person may refuse chemotherapy, experimental treatment, surgical procedures, and such, but they aren't procuring a lethal injection. They choose to face their disease without intervention, not escape it, two very different things. And do pain medications count as intervention? They don't stop or slow the progression of the disease so not really. So since euthanasia is in fact suicide, the easiest way to assess the impact of euthanasia on others is to assess the impact of suicide, and the implications if one were to legalize said actions.

Everyone is connected to someone, no matter how superficially. Suicide has a ripple effect - first the family, then friends, acquaintances, antagonists/enemies, health-care professionals, the list goes on. Euthanasia mimics this effect; only, health-care professionals are most affected. It is unfair to impose yet another responsibility on health-care professionals. The public love to forget how human they are. "They looked the wrong way on my surgery! SUE THEM!" We often forget, physicians have religions, (and atheists, here's some news: most people do), they have their own set of morals, and forcing them to assist in murder, ("kill intentionally and with premeditation" 2006 Princeton University), is a violation of their right to consent.
Now, you all say it won't be forced. Once it becomes law, it's forced because of lawsuits. Physician's will be forced to participate due inability to financially support

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