of abuse or misuse that can occur. Further, those opposed to physician-assisted suicide will frequently argue against the practice on religious grounds, maintaining that the decision to actively end a life is solely the province of the divine.
Gostin (2006), in noting that the Supreme Court recently found no constitutional right to commit suicide, pointed out that the history of suicide in most Western democracies, including the United States, has been to find the action criminal and to indict any and all who might have assisted with the procedure. Moreover, Ondrey (2006) reports that at the sociopolitical level, there primarily has been opposition to and condemnation of those who seek to legalize and/or in some legitimize suicide. Nonetheless, the Supreme Court did find that the state could, if it so wished, legalize the practice.
Papalia (2007) states that, with the baby boomers growing older, the country is facing a doubling of the 65-and-over population over the next 30 years, a fact that raises a host of important policy and political issues. It also means that end of life decisions, problems, and conflicts will arise at unprecedented levels. In terms of aging policy, physician-assisted suicide is currently not an option. However, Truog (2008) points out that over the last 50 years, there has emerged a consensus in both American law and ethics that patients have a right to refuse unwanted medical treatment.
Further, if patients are unable to make a decision to forego treatment for themselves, there has increasingly been a willingness to allow surrogates to do so for them. Truog (2008) feels that these policy changes and the attitudes that support them make it likely that hastening death through physician-assisted suicide will soon be considered as a viable option in healthcare policy toward aged, terminal patients. However, it is noted that a host of organizations and individuals will fight against such a policy ...