Physician Assisted Suicide

Question 1

define physician assisted suicide

Answer 1

• The voluntary termination of one’s own life by administration of a lethal substance with the direct or indirect assistance of a physician
• The practice of providing a competent patient with a prescription for medication for the patient to use with the primary intention of ending his or her own life.

Question 2

Suicide Act 1961

Answer 2

1. Suicide or attempting suicide ceased to be a crime (England and Wales)
2. Assigned criminal liability for complicity in another’s suicide (England and Wales)
3. Assigned criminality to acts capable of encouraging or assisting suicide (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)

Question 3

USA - Death with Dignity

Answer 3

Death with Dignity laws allow qualified medically competent, terminally ill adults to request a prescription medication from their physician for the purpose of hastening their death. it
is the process that allows terminally ill adults to request from their physician, receive from their pharmacist, and take a lethal dose of medication to end their life. The decision is voluntary, and only the person receiving the medication can self-administer it. Death with Dignity laws contain strict eligibility requirements, stringent procedures, and tough safeguards.