The Right to Die: A Reference Handbook(Contemporary World Issues)

This book provides a comprehensive and contemporary examination of the right-to-die issues facing society now that vast improvements in public health care and medicine have resulted in people not only living longer but taking much longer to die—often in great pain and suffering. In 1900, the average age at which people died in America was 47 years of age; the primary causes of death were tuberculosis and other respiratory illnesses. In the 21st century, as a result of better health care and working conditions as well as advances in medical technology, we live much longer—as of 2016, about 80 years. A much larger proportion of Americans now die from chronic diseases that generally appear at an advanced age, such as heart disease, cancer, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Should this fundamental change in human lifespan alter how society and government view right-to-die legislation? What are the pros and cons of giving a mentally competent person who is terminally ill and in great pain the right to end his or her life? The Right to Die: A Reference Handbook provides a complete examination of right-to-die issues in the United States that dissects the complex arguments for and against a person's liberty to receive a physician's assistance to hasten death. It covers the legal aspects and the politics of the right-to-die controversy, analyzes the battles over the right to die in state and federal courts, and supplies primary source documents that illustrate the political, medical, legal, religious, and ethical landscape of the right to die. Additionally, the book examines how members of our society typically die has changed in the past 150 years and how the practice of medicine has evolved over that time; explains why the right to die is strongly opposed by many religious groups as well as members of the medical profession; considers the "slippery slope" argument against doctor-assisted suicide; and identifies the reasons that the disabled, the poor, the elderly and infirm, and some members of ethnic, racial, and religious minority groups typically fear physician-assisted death.

Table of Contents:
Preface, Acknowledgments, 1 Background and History, Introduction, Changes in How We Die, The Changing Doctor-Patient Relationship, The First Efforts to Pass Euthanasia Bills in America, The Medicalization of Death, The Basic Arguments Supporting and Opposing PAD, The Arguments of Supporters of PAD, The Major Groups Supporting PAD, Doctors as "Indiscriminate Zealots", The Conventional Physician/Supporter of PAD, Professional Medical Groups Supportive of PAD, Nonmedical Groups Supporting PAD, The Two Major PAD Pressure Groups, The Alternatives Available to Terminally Ill Patients if PAD Is Not Legal, Becoming a "Death Tourist," The Arguments in Opposition to PAD, Religious Groups Opposed to PAD, Medical Groups Opposed to PAD, Vulnerable Groups' Opposition to PAD, Not Dead Yet: The Disabled Community's Vocal Advocate, Conclusion, References, 2 Problems, Controversies, and Solutions, Introduction, The Right to Die Battle in the Courts, The PVS Cases: The Initial Judicial Foray into the Contemporary Right to Die Controversy, The Central Role of the U.S. Supreme Court in the Right to Die Controversy, Efforts to Pass Right to Die Legislation: 1990–2016, The Oregon Story, 1994–2006, The Unsuccessful State Efforts after 1997, Washington State's Battles to Pass a PAD Initiative, 1991–2008, The Vermont Effort to Pass a PAD Law, 2003–2015, California's Odyssey to the Passage of the End of Life Option Act, 1992–2015, The Role of State Courts in the Right to Die Controversy, Baxter v. Montana (2009), Morris v. New Mexico (2014–2016), Some Unresolved Problems Linked with Aid in Dying, Fears, The Patient–Doctor Relationship, Trust and Mistrust in the Health Care System, The Semantic Problem, The Supreme Court and the Constitution, The "To Be Terminal, or Not to Be 'Terminal' " Problem: An Example of the Slippery Slope?, The Right to Die Dilemma: Is There a Solution?, The Resolvable Problems, The Unbending Problem, References, 3 Perspectives, Is There a Right to Die? by Robert D. Orr, My Life Is Mine by Stanley Greenberg and Kay Stambler, The Campaign to Pass the Patient Choice at End of Life Bill in Vermont by Dick and Ginny Walters, Why Disability Rights Advocates Oppose Assisted Suicide by Diane Coleman, The Canadian Journey to Medical Assistance in Dying by Sister Nuala Patricia Kenny, Physician-Assisted Death as a Legally Available Last Resort Option by Timothy E. Quill, Death with Dignity, 2016 by E. James Lieberman, Medical Futility, Then and Now by Barron H. Lerner, 4 Profiles, Introduction, Individuals Supporting Death with Dignity Laws, Marcia Angell, Margaret P. Battin, Gerald Dworkin, Linda Ganzini, Booth Gardner, Stephen Hawking, Derek Humphry, Jack Kevorkian, Barbara Coombs Lee, Barron H. Lerner, Brittany Maynard, Philip Nitschke, Timothy E. Quill, Eli D. Stutsman, Katheryn L. Tucker, Dick and Ginny Walters, Samuel D. Williams, Individuals Opposed to Death with Dignity Laws, John Ashcroft, Sissela Bok, Diane Coleman, Ezekiel J. Emanuel, Atul Gawande, Jyl Gentzler, Herbert Hendin, Sister Nuala Kenny, Vicki D. Lachman, Joanne Lynn, Robert D. Orr, Frank A. Pavone, Pope Pius XII, Pope John Paul II, and Pope Francis, William H. Rehnquist, Cicely Saunders, Antonin Scalia, Joni E. Tada, Florence S. Wald, Organizations Supporting Death with Dignity Laws, American Medical Students Association, American Medical Women's Association, American Pharmacists Association, American Psychological Association, American Public Health Association, Compassion & Choices, Compassion in Dying Federation, Death with Dignity National Center, Final Exit Network, Gray Panthers, Hemlock Society, Lambda Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Organizations Opposed to Death with Dignity Laws, American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, American Association of People with Disabilities, American Geriatrics Society, American Medical Association, American Nurses Association, Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Inc., National Disability Rights Network, National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, National Spinal Cord Injury Association, Not Dead Yet, Operation Rescue, Priests for Life, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, References, 5 Data and Documents, Introduction, Data, Top 10 Causes of Death in America (1850–2015), Legislation on Assisting Suicide (2015), National Public Opinion Polls on Death with Dignity (2014), Characteristics of Those Who Used the ODWDA in 2015, Characteristics of Oregon Patients Using ODWDA: Cumulative Data (1998–2014), Family Members' Views on Why Patients Requested Physician-Assisted Death (2004–2006), Documents, Summary of the 1994 Oregon Death with Dignity Act (ODWDA): Requirements, Janet Reno's Statement about ODWDA and the CSA (1998), John Ashcroft's Memorandum Regarding Dispensing of Controlled Substances to Assist Suicide (2001), Pope John Paul II's Address, "Life-Sustaining Treatments and Vegetative State: Scientific Advances and Ethical Dilemmas" (2004), President George W. Bush's Signing Statement on the Terri Schiavo Case (2005), Pope Francis's Address "False Compassion" (2014), Excerpt from "Dear Brittany": Letter from a Terminal Brain Cancer Patient (2014), Brittany Maynard's Farewell Facebook Message (2014), Edmond G. Brown's Letter Supporting the End of Life Options Act (2015), Excerpts from the U.S. Constitution, Cases Impacting the Right to Die (Excerpts), 6 Resources, Introduction, Books, Articles, Right to Die Legislation, Reports, Some Organizations Supporting Right to Die Legislation, Some Organizations Opposing Right to Die Legislation, 7 Chronology, Glossary, Index, About the Author,

About the Author :
Howard Ball, PhD, is professor emeritus of political science and university scholar at the University of Vermont, Burlington, VT.

Review :
This high-quality work clearly addresses a challenging, perennial topic for paper assignments in a variety of fields of study and is thus well suited to undergraduate library collections, whether shelved in reference collections of guidebooks supporting research and writing or in the circulating stacks. Summing Up: Highly recommended. High school through undergraduate students; general readers. This well-written, engaging volume presents the debate evenhandedly, discussing both the belief that life should be preserved at all costs and the view that when pain becomes too overwhelming, people should be allowed to die. . . . This readable handbook will serve students well and is also suitable for the general reader.