Citation

Erdek M. Linacre Q. 2015; 82(2): 128-134.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Catholic Medical Association)

DOI

10.1179/2050854915Y.0000000003

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Patients suffering from terminal cancer often have pain. Some have advocated euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide as a potential way of alleviating this suffering. Further examination of this topic, however, shows this approach may be essentially utilitarian and fail to consider the inherent value of human life. There has been significant development in recent years in the fields of pain medicine and palliative care, which afford alternate means of addressing suffering in this patient population. © 2015 Catholic Medical Association.

Language: en

Keywords

Euthanasia; Palliative care; Physician-assisted suicide; Terminal illness; Cancer pain; Pain medicine