Author Description

Despite a growing consensus that effective palliative care should be a core element in the treatment of all terminally ill patients, challenging questions remain about the physician's role in helping suffering patients end their lives. Physician-assisted dying remains one of the most controversial issues facing doctors, lawmakers, and patients today, and the need for intelligent and informed opinions on both sides of the debate is greater than ever. In this volume, a distinguished group of physicians, ethicists, lawyers, and activists come together to present the case for the legalization of physician- assisted dying for terminally ill patients who voluntarily request it. To counter the arguments and assumptions of those opposed to legalization of assisted suicide, the contributors examine ethical arguments concerning self- determination and the relief of suffering; analyze empirical data and describe their personal experiences as physicians, family members, and patients.