Identifying And Analyzing Ethical Issues (Physician-Assisted Suicide)

Physician-Assisted SuicideSt. Francis UniversityIntroductionMy ethical dilemma comes from a New York Times article written by Catherine Potter on May 25, 2017. According to the article, Mr. Shield, a 73-year-old man had been diagnosed with a hereditary form of amyloidosis. A rare, incurable disease caused by a build-up of an abnormal protein called amyloid in body tissues and organs. The doctor had informed Mr. Shield that the disease would most likely cause him to lose sensation in his arms and legs and eventually shut down his heart. After the diagnosis, Mr. Shield was stricken with grief; he had witnessed how torturous death from a crippling disease could be and did not wish to suffer the same fate. At this point, Mr. Shield began taking an interest in end-of-life treatment. One day, his wife attended a panel discussion about medical deaths near their home and solicited the services of Dr. Green, a specialist on medically assisted suicide. The onset and progression of the neuropathy was a particularly difficult time for Mr. Shield and his family. His skin was perpetually itchy; he could no longer swallow dry food, and his feet were numb and covered in sores. In February,