Proposed Bill on Euthanasia

The goal of the proposed bill on euthanasia is to solve an ongoing problem in the United States. The problem is that too many Americans are subject to unnecessary pain and suffering because doctors and families do not currently have the power to decide when to end another person’s life. Even if a person is sick with a terminal illness or is in a coma or a persistent vegetative state, there is nothing doctors or family members can do to end the patients suffering. Doctors can try to make the patient as comfortable as possible using pain medications or other treatments but can ultimately do nothing to cure the patient of a terminal illness. There are some treatments that can prolong the life of someone in a coma but when there is absolutely no chance of recovery, what is the point. The use of life support or feeding tubes by doctors simply aids the patient to remain alive because otherwise the body would be unable to function. This arises the question of whether or not a patient should be kept alive by means of life support if there is no chance of recovery. Opinions on this question may vary, but after all is a person on life support truly living? Surely it’s not something a person would want to go through, so why make them endure it any longer when they could peacefully be put to rest? In addition, families must consider the cost of such extensive treatment because medical bills could pile up very quickly and for some families be unaffordable. Family is a top priority in many people’s lives but to what point would families go to keep a loved one alive.

The solution to the problem is euthanasia, or more specifically physician assisted suicide. The bill is not implying that every terminally ill person will agree with the idea

of physician assisted suicide, but if the bill were passed it would give patients and families an alternative option and a choice to decide if euthanasia is a good idea in their situation. The bill would by no means force patients into...