The Oregon "Death with Dignity Act" allows a person to seek help from his or her physician to die. That assistance is limited to prescribing an overdose of medication (this makes it physician assisted suicide rather than active euthanasia). The law does set out rules of use, which I've listed just below. What I want you to discuss is whether these points are too weak, too strong, or just about right. In order to do this, we will have to--for argument's sake--assume that physician assisted suicide is, at least sometimes, morally acceptable. Pick out one or two that you think are important either because they need to be stronger or because they are too strong already.

A physician can prescribe an oral dosage of a barbiturate to cause death with the following checks:

    Must be at least 18 yrs old
    Must be terminal diagnosis (death w/in 6 months)
    Must have second physician opinion
    Must be competent
    Must have psychological evaluation if either physician questions competence
    Must be an Oregon resident
    Must make two oral requests to physician, separated by 15 days
    Must provide written request signed by two others, one of whom is not a relative
    Must be told feasible alternatives