Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide; a social work update

Considering the recent actions of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, Dr. Timothy Quill and the Hemlock Society's initiatives for legalizing physician assisted suicide for special cases in the state of Washington, Oregon, and California, arguments for and against euthanasia and physician assisted suicide have grown into a substantial and impassioned debate. This paper outlines and analyzes salient issues within the controversy of legalizing physician assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. It highlights significant issues for state and federal policy formation and further suggests unique roles which medical social workers might play in developing and implementing a compassionate and reliable system for caring for the terminally ill.