Jack Kevorkian and Euthanasia

Even though the law is only in few states it can be known to those who believe in liberty and in freedom at making end of life decisions. Rd. Kevorkian’s invention of his machine increased confusion about whether he was assisting suicides or weather he was actively participating in helping patients who were suffering from an illness. His suicide machine was designed out of house hold items and parts that he had found at home e and garden stores. His machine involved 3 liquids and a timer, once a patient was hooked up on the machine the patient could pull the button and start the flow of drugs into the human body and system, this kind of involvement serves a point as Rd. Kevorkian served in prison a sentence that was 25 years or more but was released after 8 years continuing his death mission he died at the age of 83. The fact that people went to him because they knew he could help them with any possible matter of the patient having the right to die was automatically the best for them, people deserve to die at peace and make decisions for themselves and not the government deciding for them. Suffering in pain is not right. The death with dignity law should be established in the whole United States. Its only fair if somone who is dying has that option to choos for themselves, even if their young its them who wish to take that choice and decision but the fact that only few

“A serial mercy killer” (The Right To Die, 80). This is what some would define what Kevorkian did. Kevorkian, however does not feel this way. He performs his acts for the greater good in his eyes. However, he never hesitated to try any other treatments that could result in the patient’s improved health, whether it be antibiotics, or even experimental drug maintenance programs (The Right To Die, 82). He feels that medically assisted suicide is an essential option to those that are incurable and dying (The Right To Die, 83). Kevorkian’s main concern for his terminal patients was their comfort and confidence in their decision. He explains the death his patient’s experienced as being “like a painless heart attack in a deep sleep”(The Right To Die,

The infamous story of Dr. Jack Kevorkian is a unique one. Professor Hengameh M. Hosseini

It was in 1990’s when the topic of assisted suicide reached an all-time high. It was the work of Doctor Jack Kevorkian that began in 1960 that sparked the topic of “right to die” legislative action. Doctor Kevorkian was a Michigan doctor responsible for the deaths some 44 suicides for terminally ill patients. Doctor Kevorkian along with many accredited doctors such as Marcia Angell, agree on one main point; terminally-ill patients should have the right to determine how they should end their life. Marcia Angell, states in her article The Supreme Court and Physician-Assisted Suicide-The Ultimate Right that “Although others may consider

In 1990, physician-assisted suicide became well known around the United States when Dr. Jack Kevorkian, a retired pathologist, assisted a 54-year-old Alzheimer’s patient end her life. He would go on to willfully help dozens of terminally ill people end their lives. He spent eight years in prison after being convicted of second-degree murder in the death of 130 ailing patients whose lives he helped end (Kevorkian, 2011). Many consider him a hero, setting a platform for reform. In 1997 Oregon lawmakers approved a statue, Death with Dignity, making it legal for doctors to prescribe lethal doses of a medication to help terminally ill patients end

While many believe that science sanctions physician assisted suicide, it is necessary to recognize the limits of science’s influence in our lives. “The notion that science should dictate our entire worldview, including our morality, has a long pedigree and remains prominent today” (Weikart 6). Despite science apparently telling us that physician assisted suicide is principled, it is important to realize that science should not direct our morality and view of ethics. Weikart explains, “We should firmly reject the idea that science has anything to say to us about what we should do, how we should live, or when we should die” (6). Utilizing science as a justification for physician assisted suicide is immoral. We must use the values of science to improve the quality of life, not take a life. Furthermore, many notable health organizations have come forward in opposition to physician assisted death, stating that physician assisted death contradicts their code of ethics. “The American Medical Association (1996) ethics code advises that PAD is inconsistent with the primary role of physicians to heal: ‘Instead of participating in assisted suicide, physicians must aggressively respond to the needs of patients at the end of life.’

In 1990, Jack Kevorkian assisted in the death of Janet Adkins. Adkins was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. After her diagnosis, she started searching for someone to help her end her life before the Alzheimer's took on its full effect. Adkins contacted Jack Kevorkian for his assistance. Jack Kevorkian did his residency at the University of Michigan where he became interested by death and the act of dying (Biography). After many experiments and writing articles, he created the "suicide machine". This machine consisted of three bottles: saline, a painkiller and a fatal dose of potassium chloride. After his contact with Adkins, Kevorkian agreed to assist with ending her life. “They met in a public park in Michigan where Kevorkian put an IV into

Although Gale expressed written and verbal consent before the procedure, it was said that he allegedly showed signs of changing his mind once the mask was placed over his face. Gale had reportedly said “Take it off; take it off” during the procedure. Despite Gale’s apparent change in resolve, Kevorkian continued and completed the procedure. Although Kevorkian was brought to court and it was confirmed that Gale had said “Take it off” during the procedure, Kevorkian was ruled innocent. Factors of the ruling included the lack of laws regarding assisted suicide in Michigan, lack of motive, and the varying interpretations of Gale’s words (Marlinga). Kevorkian and his “business” would raise interesting questions about the nature of assisted suicide and euthanasia in the United States. Kevorkian’s trials would not be the only ones. All over the world people would begin to pry into the morality and ethics of euthanasia. And in doing so they began to venture into the unknown territory of euthanasia policy. Following its legalization, legislators around the world made attempts to ensure that euthanasia was safe and properly controlled. But in spite

Is euthanasia murder or is it actually saving someone from extra pain and suffering? This is just one of the questions that are causing so much debate in our society today. Should euthanasia be illegal?

One of the most contentious issues in the entire field of healthcare and end-of-life care is the notion of assisted suicide, wherein the individual who wishes to end his or her own life is assisted by someone else, usually a physician. As Werner (2005, p. 135) notes, "straightforward answers to the difficult questions concerning the issues of euthanasia and assisted suicide are not yet available," but one can at least have a more robust conception of the issue's history, which in turn allows one to confront the contemporary discussion with greater insight. In the United States the topic rose to widespread prominence in the 1990s with the case of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who helped over forty people commit suicide before being convicted of second-degree murder. However, the debate regarding assisted suicide has been raging since at least the beginning of the twentieth-century, when the odd confluence of concerned citizens and eugenics advocates began arguing for legalized assisted suicide. This origin has tended to taint the discussion regarding the practice, and by tracing the history of assisted suicide in the United States, it will be possible to understand how the contemporary discussions of the issue represent a kind of backlash against the admittedly cruel and inhumane Social Darwinism of the early twentieth century.

People have different ideas of a good essay. Essays that are interesting to the readers. For an essay to be considered a good essay, it has to be entertaining, the readers should be able to picture an image in their mind. For many others, they may have different ideas about what a good writer is. For example, I don’t like it when writers give out too much information. They will describe things and go on and on about it. Others might like this, but I don’t like it when the writers do this. Most writers have one of the qualities that I think makes a good writer. They don’t have to have all three qualities for me to think that it’s a good essay.

Jack Kevorkian, known as Dr. Death by many is the individual attributed with bring the idea of assisted suicide to the forefront and in addition since he was cut off from mainstream medical interaction he did not invest much time into the investigation of palliative care for terminally ill patients and furthermore, is reported to have never verified that his patients were indeed terminally ill. Indeed, that which Jack Kevorkian did do was make provision to his suicide clients drugs that were lethal and then disconnecting himself from the act itself unless, that is, his clients were unable to see to the job due to physical impairment. Should that be the case, Kevorkian would inject them with the lethal drugs causing their suicide act. Kevorkian was jailed. Following this it is reported that the reformers entered into the drawing of lines more

At this point, we need to ask ourselves if we are ready to accept Doctor Death's philosophy on dying or treat human life as sacred. According to Dr. Kevorkian, euthanasia is a general term that should apply to any case in which a person helps another person die mercifully. "Medicide" is a term that Kevorkian made up for the ending of patients lives by trained professionals. These professionals would be trained in the art of medicide so that such actions could be done in a organized, regulated manner in a suicide centers that he calls "obitiatries"(Haung).

Euthanasia, possibly one of the most controversial topics in today’s society. A word that derives from the Greek language meaning, “good death”. Euthanasia is a term that refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering. Dr. Jack Kevorkian once stated, “In quixotically trying to conquer death doctors all too frequently do no good for their patients’ “ease” but at the same time they do harm instead by prolonging and even magnifying patients’ dis-ease.” Euthanasia is nothing new to the world, in the 1500’s William Shakespeare portrayed the Roman practice in Julius Caesar by depicting Brutus running into the sword held by Strato. Suffering has always been a part of human

Technological advancements witnessed in this century has given medics the ability to save and sustain more lives than ever before. Scientific discoveries are uncovering new drugs that have cured diseases that would otherwise be fatal and helped manage the untreatable ones. Hence it would be alright to say that medical technology is pulling people away from death. Ironically, as the struggle to find effective treatments and save lives continues the pleas to mercifully end lives that are deteriorating leaving the patients in immense torment and pain are becoming louder and louder. Even though Euthanasia i.e. mercy killing is not treated as an illegal act, its immorality is highly questionable as illustrated in Jack Kevorkian’s case study. Euthanasia