Pain management rather than assisted suicide: The ethical high ground

Physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia (PAS/E) have been outside the bou nds of acceptable behavior for physicians for hundreds of years and remain illegal in all jurisdictions except Oregon and The Netherlands. The morally , legally, and professionally acceptable alternative is excellent end-of-li fe care. In this article, the arguments in Favor of PAS/E are discussed bri efly and rebutted. The arguments against this practice are outlined and sup ported. Because pain (and fear of pain) at the end of life is one of the dr iving forces behind the recurrent debate about legalization of PAS/E, the m edical profession as a whole, and pain specialists in particular, have an o bligation to use all available means to relieve pain.