The right to physician–Assisted suicide on demand

Abstract

This article argues for the right to physician–assisted suicide under any circumstance defined by the client or individual making the request. Its perspective is oriented within the field of social welfare. It examines conflicts between values of autonomy and the preservation of life and compares Dutch and United States right–to–die legislation. The article also discusses responsibilities of both the individual and society toward each other within the scope of physician–assisted suicide, socio–economic causes of suicide, suggestions for suicide prevention, and promotes physician–assisted suicide on demand based on the literature and the social work value of self–determination. Blackwell Publishers Ltd 2002.