Advertisement
CommonHealth: The Ethical Conflict Doctors Face On Physician-Assisted Suicide
PlayRavi Parikh is a fourth-year student at Harvard Medical School and the multiple medical associations he belongs to are sending out contrasting opinions on Question 2, a ballot initiative Mass. voters will decide on next month:
Should a licensed physician be able to prescribe medication, at a terminally ill patient's request, to end that patient's life?
The American Medical Associated and the Massachusetts Medical Society say no. In contrast, the American Medical Student Association supports it.
That made us wonder: Is there a generational shift when it comes to doctors' attitudes about physician assisted suicide?
Guest:
- Carey Goldberg, co-host of WBUR's CommonHealth blog
- Ravi Parikh, fourth-year student at Harvard Medical School; co-founder of Harvard Medical School's palliative care interest group
More:
- CommonHealth: ‘Ethically, Is This Right For Doctors To Do?’ Help A Terminal Patient Die?
- Community Ethics Committee's White Paper On Question 2: Choosing Medically Induced Death
- Free public forum on Question 2: prescribing medication to end life, on Thursday, October 25 from 4p-6p hosted by Harvard Medical School
This segment aired on October 23, 2012.