Physician-Assisted Death

Today's news is full of stories about "suicide machines," and physician-assisted death. Can physician-assisted death be accepted as a reasonable ethical choice? Or must a patient's pain and suffering be prolonged in order to preserve life, without regard to the quality of that life? A mind-opening new book from Humana Press, Physician-Assisted Death provides seven articles by leading authorities examining the medical, ethical, legal, and philosophical issues involved in physician-assisted death and scrutinizing the principal arguments for and against it. The analysis includes an examination of public opinion polls and surveys of physicians, an exploration of the impact on both society and the physician-patient relationship, and a discussion of the relationship between physician-assisted death and the right to privacy as recognized by the Supreme Court and common law. This important book adds new dimensions to America's fascination with the activities of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, and the worldwide interest in physician-assisted death evidenced by its legalization in the Netherlands. This book significantly advances the level of the discussion on this vitally important topic.