CURRENT EVENTS AND BIOETHICAL CONCERNS IN PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED DEATH

In June 1997, the Supreme Court of the United States found that the Co nstitution does not guarantee a right to physician-assisted suicide, t hereby allowing states the opportunity to variously prohibit or permit such practice. The Court's findings notwithstanding, physician-assist ed death remains a topic of intense medical, legal and philosophical d iscussion. Principled discourse variously supports both an ethical pro hibition against assisted death and an ethical obligation to help some patients achieve death. Both theoretical and practical concerns are r aised by the practice of physician-assisted death. This essay reviews recent events and developments concerning assisted suicide and euthana sia. The discussion which follows was generated by the members of the Committee on Bioethical Issues of the Medical Society of the State of New York and builds upon a previous Committee report.