physics
1 Every physician will be faced with a delicate moral situation at some time during his or her career. Indeed, every health care provider has a slightly different approach when it comes to doing what is best for the patient, and thus many arguments in the medical community spawn as a result when a situation such as assisted suicide surfaces. Dr. Timothy Quill had a patient—Diane-- whom he had known for many years and came to respect and admire (Glannon 328). Diane had many problems as a child and young adult, such as depression and alcoholism. Through support and persistence, she overcame them and was able to stay healthy and lead a normal life (Glannon 328). However, it turned out she developed leukemia, as was shown from blood tests she took when complaining of constantly feeling tired and developing rashes. Dr. Quill knew from statistics that patients with her type of leukemia only have a twenty-five percent chance of survival, and in her state he felt that action needed to be taken quickly. When a treatment plan was made for Diane, she was shocked that it was presumed she would be willing to undergo it. She had made the decision to make the most of her time left by being close to her family and friends instead of receiving care at a hospital (Glannon 328). Furthermore, Diane decided she wanted to have control of herself for the rest of the time she had remaining. Thus, she requested Dr. Quill to prescribe barbiturates for her use when she decided to die. Dr. Quill was uneasy about doing so, but after talking with Diane at length realized that if she had the drugs she could concentrate on living in the present and making better connections with her family and friends (Glannon 329). He thus wrote the prescription, after much spiritual, moral, and professional deliberation. Eventually, the disease overcame Diane, and after saying her last good-byes to her loved ones, Diane took the appropriate amount of 2 medication and passed away. Dr. Quill reported to hospice workers that she looked peaceful and that the cause of her death was leukemia, not the barbiturates (Glannon 330). Many other physicians would not have taken the same actions as Dr. Quinn, being firmly against assisted suicide. The fact that he gave his patient a drug she could use to end her life goes against their philosophy of doing no harm. There has to have been a better solution--one in which Diane was not given drugs to end her life with. The Natural Law from the Catholic tradition would concur with this idea.