Physician-Assisted Death — A Last Resort?

During the past decade, patients with the uncommon disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have had a prominent role in the debate about physician-assisted suicide and voluntary active euthanasia. In Canada and Great Britain, patients with ALS have challenged legal bans on physician-assisted death. A widely viewed videotape of a patient in the Netherlands choosing euthanasia generated considerable controversy. In the United States, millions watched Jack Kevorkian euthanize Thomas Youk, a patient with ALS, on the CBS news program 60 Minutes.As compared with patients with other terminal illnesses, those with ALS are more likely to request physician-assisted death. Veldink . . .