Physician assisted Living

Physician assisted Living | Nelly Hanley

Physician assisted suicide (PAS) is an issue that has engaged the United States in a long and

intense debate since the Supreme Court ruled in 1997 that physician assisted suicide is not a

Constitutional right.  This debate has raised many concerns in areas of morality, legality, and practical 

ity.  The controversy over PAS continues to be debated by many organizations and scholars.  Joseph

Califano, Jr., of the America magazine and Richard M. Gula of the Christian Century have contributed

opinions.  Each has opposed PAS, as each looks at the issue from a Judeo Christian perspective.

PAS is by Gula's definition   when a physician helps to bring on the patient's death by pro 

viding the means to do it or by giving the necessary information in hand to do it, but the patient per 

forms the lethal act. 

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Califano discusses the topic briefly, but Gula provides a more detailed explana 

tion in his article,  Dying Well: A Challenge to Christian Compassion. 

Gula addresses two arguments for PAS: autonomy and beneficence.  The argument for autono 

my is better known as  right to die .  It is the belief that each person has a right to control his or her

body, his or her life.  Gula argues that, according to Christian beliefs,  the sovereignty of God and the

Physician assisted Living   Nelly Hanley

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