Benefits of Assisted Suicide: Relieving Pain, Saving Resources, and Dying with Dignity

Running head: ASSISTED SUICIDE
Assisted Suicide
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

1ASSISTED SUICIDE
As opined by Cohen and Loewy, the concept of assisted suicide or euthanasia had
gained a significant amount of prominence within the cannon of the contemporary world
because of the ever increasing number of terminal or chronic diseases the individuals from all
over the world are presently facing. Kim, Yeates and Caine are of the viewpoint that the
process of euthanasia or assisted suicide enables the individuals to medical terminate their
life through the help of qualified professionals if they are suffering from illness for which
there is no cure or for that there is no hope of their recovery. The process of assisted suicide
is being repudiated on the basis of the ethical or morals which are involved in the process
despite the benefits or advantages involved with the process. This paper will analyze the
benefits associated with the process of assisted suicide in the light of the various counter-
arguments which have been presented against the same.
One of the most important benefits of the process of assisted suicide is the fact that it
helps in relieving the pain or the suffering of the patients who are suffering from different
kinds of terminal illnesses. Zenz, Tryba and Zenz are of the viewpoint that the terminally ill
patients have to undergo a great deal of pain on the score of the fact that no effective
medication have been discovered for the diseases that they suffering. Thus, in this light it can
be said that the process of assisted suicide is a very beneficial one for them since it helps in
relieving their pain or suffering. However, Sulmasy and Mueller have stated that God had
created life and the decision of ending the life of an individual solely rests with Him and thus
the individuals have no right to take their own life no matter under how much pain or
suffering they are in.
The effective usage of the process of assisted suicide enables the family members of
the patients and also the patients themselves to save a significant amount of their financial
resources. In this regard, it needs to be mentioned in that in the nation of USA alone for the
year 2018 the different patients suffering from diverse kinds of diseases had to spend more

2ASSISTED SUICIDE
than $3.65 trillion for various kinds of treatment services (Fortune.com). However, at the
same time it is seen that there are not many people who are being able to afford these
treatment facilities and also the individuals who are on the verge of death like to secure their
family economically (Hall). It is on the score of this fact that the process of assisted suicide
had become an especially beneficial one for the patients. On the other hand, Quill, Arnold
and Youngner have counter-argued this viewpoint by stating that with the advancements
made in the field of medicinal sciences it is likely that the scientists would be able to develop
cure for all kinds of diseases in the near future and this is mere cowardice on the part of the
patients to lose hope and give in to the process of assisted suicide.
The process of assisted suicide becomes especially important from the fact that the
hospitals and healthcare centers have very limited amount of resources and the concerned
process frees up a significant amount of resources which could be used for the treatment of
other patients who still have hope of getting better. This can be explained on the basis of the
fact that the majority of the patients who opt for the process of assisted suicide have no hope
of getting better because of the nature of diseases that they suffering (Shaw, Manuel and
Bernice). On the other hand, it is seen that there are many patients who fail to get adequate
treatment facilities because of the fact that the resources needed for their cure are being used
to offer treatment facilities to the other individuals who have no hope of getting better
(Paterson). Thus, it can be said that the process of assisted suicide enables the hospitals as
well as healthcare centers to effectively utilize their resources and also help them the patients
who still have chances of getting better in an effective. However, Emanuel et al. have stated
that this is likely to enhance the level of corruption within the healthcare industry and rather
than trying hard to save the life of the patients the professionals would simply resort to the
usage of this method.