Assisted Suicide

Almost every family has had to watch the slow and agonizing death of a loved family member from cancer, neurological disease, or other chronic terminal illness. To those who have had to live through such an experience, the idea of doctor-assisted suicide appears to be, at first blush, a merciful alternative. But is it? What are the ethical questions surrounding this explosive issue? What has been the experience in countries where the procedure is permissible? And what has come from a permissive attitude on this question in the past?

Death with dignity became an end-of-life care option in 1994 with the popular passage of the Oregon law. However, despite international coverage of the law itself, widespread reform in end-of-life healthcare practices and attention from public policy...