Oregon Death with Dignity Act

Paper Summary:

This paper details recent legislation on assisted suicide known as the Oregon Death with Dignity Act. David Gil's Policy Analysis Framework is used to analyze the new law. According to Gil's analysis, the "objective" of Oregon's Death with Dignity Act is to settle the dispute as to what the desires of an incapacitated person really are. The author concludes that as a result of the enactment of this law, the number of physician-assisted suicides will continue to grow, and disability supporters will protest and try to bring awareness to the general public.

From the Paper:

"The danger of defining "terminal" with time limits or definitions of illness is that these limits may be defined differently by different doctors. In the Netherlands "terminal" is simply "concrete expectancy of death" and time limits and definitions of "terminal illness" have been fastidiously avoided, to protect both the ill and their physicians when a terminal illness or mental state cannot be judged within these limits. Patients may suffer long past the six months that the doctor assumes is remaining for the patient. (Marker, 2006) In Oregon, the legal interpretation of "terminal disease" is "an incurable and irreversible disease that has been medically confirmed and will, within reasonable medical judgment, produce death within six months." [1995 c.3 s.1.01; 1999 c.423 s.1] (Definitions, 12)"

Sample of Sources Used:

• Definitions for 127.800 s.1.01.. Oregon Department of Human Services. Retrieved October 2, 2006 from http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/pas/ors.shtml.
• Gil, D. (1976). A Framework and Synthesis of Social Policies. Unraveling Social Policy: Theory, Analysis, Political Actions towards Social Equality. Cambridge, MA: 31-56.
• Gil, D. (1992). Unraveling Social Policy. (5th Ed.) Rochester, VT: Schenkman.
• Marker, R. and Hamlon, K. (2006). Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: Frequently Asked Questions. International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide. Retrieved October 2, 2006 from http://www.internationaltaskforce.org/faq.htm.
• Oregon Death with Dignity Act: Three Years of Legalized Physician-Assisted Suicide, Oregon Health Division (February 21, 2001), Table 3.

More papers on Oregon Death with Dignity Act:

• Term Paper # 140298 : "The Oregon Death With Dignity Act of 1994"
• Persuasive Essay # 108797 : "Oregon Death with Dignity Act"
• Persuasive Essay # 51967 : "Oregon's Death with Dignity Act"

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