Physician-Assisted Suicide: Acceptable?

Photo credit - Gert-Stockmans

“See now that I myself am he! There is no god besides me.

I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal,

and no one can deliver out of my hand.”

Deuteronomy 32:39 NIV

by Roxanne Wolfram, DNP, FNP-BC

Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are divisive topics. A recent case involved Noelia Castillo, a 25-year-old woman from Spain who was euthanized in March of 2026. She was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder and borderline personality disorder when she was a teen. She had been raped 3 times. She attempted suicide twice unsuccessfully. The second time, she was left a paraplegic and wheelchair bound. This was when she decided she wanted euthanasia. She had mental health issues, along with back and leg pain. Spain granted her the right to euthanasia, but her family fought the system. The case went to the Supreme Court, which upheld her decision because she met the legal criteria. She was euthanized alone (per her wishes) in a hospital in Spain at the age of 25 (New York Times, 2026).

Worldwide, physician-assisted suicide (PAS) is available to 300 million people. For the terminally ill, it is available in the US, Australia, and New Zealand (Campaign for Dignity in Dying 2026). For those who experience suffering alone, it is available in 9 countries in Europe, 3 countries in Central and South America, and Canada (Campaign for Dignity in Dying, 2026). 

In the US, PAS is authorized in 13 states and Washington DC. These states include Oregon, Washington, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, New Jersey, Vermont, New Mexico, Delaware, Maine, Illinois, and New York (Death with Dignity, n.d.). There are also 14 states considering euthanasia with Bills that are being introduced on the floor of the Senate or House (Death with Dignity, n.d.). These states are Arizona, Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin, Indiana, Rhode Island, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Tennessee (Death with Dignity, n.d.). In 2023, Vermont and Oregon expanded access to PAS for non-residents under their laws. (Compassionandchoices.org, 2023) 

A 2024 Gallup poll showed that 71% of Americans believe “a doctor should be allowed to end a patient’s life by some painless means if the patient and his or her family request it.” Americans (66%) believe that “doctors should be allowed to assist the patient to commit suicide for patients living in severe pain who request it (Yi, 2024).” Catholics (44%) and Protestants plus other Christian religions (46%) consider PAS morally acceptable (Yi, 2024).

With so many people supporting PAS, it is important to look at the biblical view. Before doing that (coming in June, Part 2), some definitions and other factors need to be discussed.

Definitions and Euphemism MAiD

Euthanasia is the deliberate action by an individual to kill a person at that person’s request for the purpose of relieving intolerable and incurable suffering (CMDA, 2026). Voluntary euthanasia is provided to a competent person in response to informed consent, and nonvoluntary euthanasia is granted to an incompetent person according to a surrogate’s decision (CMDA, 2026). Involuntary euthanasia is given without any competent person’s consent (CMDA, 2026). Active euthanasia is an intervention that accelerates death, and passive euthanasia is the withdrawal of life support (CMDA, 2026). Physician-assisted suicide (PAS) is the intentional killing of oneself with the indirect aid of a medical doctor (i.e. prescribing a lethal dose of medication) (CMDA, 2026). The American Public Health Association (APHA) has changed the name of PAS to “medical aid in dying” or MAiD (Butler, 2018). They felt that labeling this act “suicide” was  offensive and stigmatizing (Butler, 2018). When the name was changed to MAiD, there was an increase of up to 15% in favor of PAS (Butler, 2018). 

Who seeks PAS and why? 

The people who seek PAS are typically nonreligious, educated, white, and well-off (Goligher, 2024). Reasons given for PAS are not just pain relief. They include loss of ability to engage in meaningful activities, inability to perform activities of daily living, loss of independence, reduced autonomy, and loss of dignity (Health Canada, 2023; Butler, 2018). 

What about a person’s dignity or value?

Proponents of PAS link a person’s value to autonomy and self-regard. This worth is conditional (extrinsic value). It makes those who are elderly, disabled, or with dementia vulnerable (Butler, 2024). A biblical view bases human value on God’s teaching of intrinsic worth. (Discussed in Part 2 of Roxanne’s article for June 2026 PPL News.)

References

• Butler, K. 2018. In the debate over physician-assisted suicide, words matter. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/debate-physician-assisted-suicide/

• Butler, K. 2024. What does it mean to die with dignity? https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/death-dignity/

• Campaign for Dignity in Dying, 2026. https://www.dignityindying.org.uk/assisted-dying/assisted-dying-around-the-world/

• CMDA, (2026). Standards for Life. Physician-Assisted Suicide. A Publication of Christian Medical & Dental Associations. https://cmda.org/standards-4-life/

• Compassionandchoices.org (n.d.). Medical Aid in Dying in Oregon and Vermont for persons residing outside of the state: What patients need to know. https://compassionandchoices.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/073123_patients-maid-non-residents.pdf

• Chutel, L. & Barragan, C. (2026). Spanish woman dies after winning legal battle for right to end her life. 

  New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/27/world/europe/noelia-castillo-ramos-spain-assisted-death.html

• Death with Dignity, (n.d.). https://deathwithdignity.org/states/#

• Goligher, E. (2024). Resisting physician-assisted death is a gospel imperative. The Gospel Coalition. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/physician-assisted-death/

• Health Canada (2023). Fourth annual report on Medical Assisstance in Dying in Canada 2022. 

  https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/health-system-services/annual-report-medical-assistance-dying-2022.html

• Yi, R. 2024. Most Americans Favor Legal Euthanasia. https://news.gallup.com/poll/648215/americans-favor-legal-euthanasia.aspx

Other PPL Recommendations

• https://www.ppl.org/believers-and-advanced-directives?

  (Editor's note: A Medical Power of Attorney in the hands of a trusted loved one is preferred now.)

• “MAKING A DIFFERENCE: A Guide for Defending the Medically Vulnerable”

  https://halovoice.org/resources/ (up-to-date materials on end-of-life decisions)

• How Should We Then Die? A Christian Response to Physician-Assisted Death

  by Ewan C. Goligher, M.D. 

  "As more people accept the practice of physician-assisted death, Christians must decide whether to embrace or oppose it. Is it ethical for physicians to assist patients in hastening their own death? Should Christians who are facing death accept the offer of an assisted death? In How Should We Then Die?, physician Ewan Goligher draws from general revelation and Scripture to persuade and equip Christians to oppose physician-assisted death” (from book back cover, Amazon.com).