Informative Outline and Thesis Statement

1

The Use of Euthanasia (Assisted Dying) In Medical Care: An Annotated Bibliography

Alondra Rivera

West Coast

English 240

Prof. Cueto

04/12/26

2

Braun, E. (2023). An autonomy-based approach to assisted suicide: a way to avoid the

expressivist objection against assisted dying laws. Journal of Medical Ethics, 49(7), 497-

501. https://doi.org/10.1136/jme-2022-108375

Braun believes that basing assisted suicide solely on personal autonomy - but not medical

suffering - does not stigmatize individuals with disabilities or illness. This is supported by

the 2020 ruling by the German Federal Constitutional Court, which stated that assisted

suicide was a right to self-determination not limited by diagnosis. The article is an ethics

research paper by a researcher at Ruhr University Bochum in the peer-reviewed Journal

of Medical Ethics. The article has been peer-reviewed externally, and it thoroughly

interacts with the known philosophical and legal literature. The article offers a solid

philosophical and legal premise to the arguments of patient autonomy in cases of assisted

dying in medical situations. One article to use in the paper is “The right to a self-

determined death, as an expression of personal freedom, is not limited to situations

defined by external causes” (P.499).

Leboul, D., Bousquet, A., Chassagne, A., Mathieu-Nicot, F., Ridley, A., Cretin, E., ... & Aubry,

R. (2022). Understanding why patients request euthanasia when it is illegal: a qualitative

study in palliative care units on the personal and practical impact of euthanasia

requests. Palliative care and social practice, 16, 26323524211066925.

https://doi.org/10.1177/26323524211066925

The research interviewed 18 terminally ill French patients and discovered that euthanasia

requests fulfilled five functions, including recognizing suffering, regaining autonomy,

influencing care, transgressing prohibition, and imagining a self-determined future. The

research also discovered that superior symptom management tended to put a temporary

3

hold on the requests. This is a registered clinical trial that is ethics-committee-approved

and undertaken by a multidisciplinary team of PhD-qualified professionals in 11

palliative care units. The article has been published in the peer-reviewed journal

Palliative Care and Social Practice (SAGE). The study includes first-hand patient

testimony of the connection between euthanasia requests and unmet needs in autonomy

and dignity in medical care, which is a strong argument in favor of the legalization of

euthanasia. One quote that will be used in the essay is, “ request for euthanasia appears to

be a willful means to remove oneself from the impasse of an existence paralyzed by

suffering” (P.1).

Lee, M. A. (2023). Ethical issue of physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. Journal of Hospice

and Palliative Care, 26(2), 95. https://doi.org/10.14475/jhpc.2023.26.2.95

Lee maintains that physician-assisted suicide is inconsistent with the healing mission of

medicine, that popular opinion in support of it distorts the actual desires of terminally ill

patients, and that suffering is not a deprivation of human dignity. The article supports the

idea of a more robust palliative care over the legalization of the procedures that end life.

This article was written by Dr. Myung Ah Lee who is a medical oncologist at the Seoul

St. Mary Hospital, Catholic University of Korea and has verified ORCID credentials and

extensive clinical experience. The article was published in a peer-reviewed journal. This

article includes an ethical argument by a clinician that euthanasia does not fit the main

mission of medical care and thus is crucial to the other side of the discussion The essay ill

use the quote, “However, the act of using medical care to artificially end a life that has

become as to wish for death does not preserve human dignity, rather than a kind of

homicide” (P.99).

4

Rahimian, Z., Rahimian, L., Lopez‐Castroman, J., Ostovarfar, J., Fallahi, M. J., Nayeri, M. A., &

Vardanjani, H. M. (2024). What medical conditions lead to a request for euthanasia? A

rapid scoping review. Health Science Reports, 7(3), e1978.

https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.1978

This review examined 197 studies and discovered that terminal cancer (45.4%), dementia

(19.8%), and treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders (12.2%) are some of the most

common conditions that prompt euthanasia requests, and there is no international

agreement on the eligibility criteria used across jurisdictions. It is a PRISMA-ScR

compliant scoping review with two independent extractions published in the peer-

reviewed journal Health Science Reports (Wiley) by a multinational team of researchers

based at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. The present review records that

euthanasia is now expanding to non-terminal and psychiatric conditions, with evidence-

based arguments against why euthanasia should not be legalized in medical practice. The

paper will use the quote, “Clinicians are less inclined to recommend or perform

euthanasia for patients suffering from psychiatric diseases than for patients with life-

threatening somatic illnesses.”

This week, you will submit an outline and thesis statement for your informative paper.

When you write an informative essay that presents two sides of an issue without revealing bias, there are three primary organizational tactics that can be used:

● Present all the major arguments on one side of the issue, and then present all the major arguments of the opposing viewpoint.

● Present one of the major issues relating to the overarching topic, and in the same paragraph, discuss the viewpoints of both sides on this particular issue.

● In one paragraph, present one of the viewpoints on one major aspect of the controversy, and then follow that paragraph with another paragraph presenting the opposing views’ arguments related to the same aspect of the controversy. You then repeat that pattern one to three more times.

For this assignment:

1. Use the outline template and one of the strategies listed above to organize the materials for your paper.

2. Use specific quotes or cited evidence in APA style format for your supporting details.

3. Develop a concise thesis statement that clearly and accurately presents the main idea you will develop in your paper.

Informative Paper Outline and Thesis Statement

Crite ria

Ratings Pts

This criter ion is linke d to a Learn ing Outco me Outli ne

37.5 to >33.38 ptsExceeds ExpectationsThe outline includes several high-quality, thought-provoking ideas/points, which are skillfully used to creatively and completely support the thesis. The outline demonstrates a well-balanced approach to researching the topic. Subtopics are specific and avoid generalities and demonstrate extensive research and thought on the topic. 33.38 to >29.63 ptsMeets ExpectationsThe outline includes some high-quality ideas/points, which are used to support the thesis. The outline demonstrates a well-balanced approach to researching the topic. Subtopics demonstrate research and thought on the topic. 29.63 to >27.0 ptsApproaches ExpectationsThe outline includes some ideas/points, some of which support the thesis. The outline may not demonstrate a well-balanced approach to researching the topic. Some subtopics demonstrate research and thought on the topic. 27 to >0 ptsDoes Not Meet ExpectationsThe outline presents few ideas/points, which do not support the thesis. The outline does not demonstrate a well-balanced approach to researching the topic. Subtopics fail to demonstrate research and thought on the topic.

37.5 pts

This criter ion is linke d to a Learn ing Outco me Thesi s State ment

22.5 to >20.02 ptsExceeds ExpectationsThe thesis statement is clear and concise. The reader knows exactly what the essay will be about and how the writer will write about it. 20.02 to >17.78 ptsMeets ExpectationsThe thesis statement describes the author's main points, but may not give insight into how the topic will be discussed. 17.78 to >16.2 ptsApproaches ExpectationsThe thesis statement fails to present the . author's main points. 16.2 to >0 ptsDoes Not Meet ExpectationsThe thesis statement is missing.

22.5 pts

This criter ion is linke d to a Learn ing Outco me Form at and Credi ting Sourc es

15 to >13.35 ptsExceeds ExpectationsThe writer makes minimal (if any) errors in APA style format, citations, or references. 13.35 to >11.85 ptsMeets ExpectationsThe writer makes some errors in APA style format, citations, or references. 11.85 to >10.8 ptsApproaches ExpectationsThe writer makes numerous errors in APA style format, citations, or references. 10.8 to >0 ptsDoes Not Meet ExpectationsThe writer makes significant errors in APA style format, citations, or references.

1

The Use of Euthanasia (Assisted Dying) In Medical Care: An Annotated Bibliography

Alondra Rivera

West Coast

English 240

Prof. Cueto

04/12/26

2

Braun, E. (2023). An autonomy-based approach to assisted suicide: a way to avoid the

expressivist objection against assisted dying laws. Journal of Medical Ethics, 49(7), 497-

501. https://doi.org/10.1136/jme-2022-108375

Braun believes that basing assisted suicide solely on personal autonomy - but not medical

suffering - does not stigmatize individuals with disabilities or illness. This is supported by

the 2020 ruling by the German Federal Constitutional Court, which stated that assisted

suicide was a right to self-determination not limited by diagnosis. The article is an ethics

research paper by a researcher at Ruhr University Bochum in the peer-reviewed Journal

of Medical Ethics. The article has been peer-reviewed externally, and it thoroughly

interacts with the known philosophical and legal literature. The article offers a solid

philosophical and legal premise to the arguments of patient autonomy in cases of assisted

dying in medical situations. One article to use in the paper is “The right to a self-

determined death, as an expression of personal freedom, is not limited to situations

defined by external causes” (P.499).

Leboul, D., Bousquet, A., Chassagne, A., Mathieu-Nicot, F., Ridley, A., Cretin, E., ... & Aubry,

R. (2022). Understanding why patients request euthanasia when it is illegal: a qualitative

study in palliative care units on the personal and practical impact of euthanasia

requests. Palliative care and social practice, 16, 26323524211066925.

https://doi.org/10.1177/26323524211066925

The research interviewed 18 terminally ill French patients and discovered that euthanasia

requests fulfilled five functions, including recognizing suffering, regaining autonomy,

influencing care, transgressing prohibition, and imagining a self-determined future. The

research also discovered that superior symptom management tended to put a temporary

3

hold on the requests. This is a registered clinical trial that is ethics-committee-approved

and undertaken by a multidisciplinary team of PhD-qualified professionals in 11

palliative care units. The article has been published in the peer-reviewed journal

Palliative Care and Social Practice (SAGE). The study includes first-hand patient

testimony of the connection between euthanasia requests and unmet needs in autonomy

and dignity in medical care, which is a strong argument in favor of the legalization of

euthanasia. One quote that will be used in the essay is, “ request for euthanasia appears to

be a willful means to remove oneself from the impasse of an existence paralyzed by

suffering” (P.1).

Lee, M. A. (2023). Ethical issue of physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. Journal of Hospice

and Palliative Care, 26(2), 95. https://doi.org/10.14475/jhpc.2023.26.2.95

Lee maintains that physician-assisted suicide is inconsistent with the healing mission of

medicine, that popular opinion in support of it distorts the actual desires of terminally ill

patients, and that suffering is not a deprivation of human dignity. The article supports the

idea of a more robust palliative care over the legalization of the procedures that end life.

This article was written by Dr. Myung Ah Lee who is a medical oncologist at the Seoul

St. Mary Hospital, Catholic University of Korea and has verified ORCID credentials and

extensive clinical experience. The article was published in a peer-reviewed journal. This

article includes an ethical argument by a clinician that euthanasia does not fit the main

mission of medical care and thus is crucial to the other side of the discussion The essay ill

use the quote, “However, the act of using medical care to artificially end a life that has

become as to wish for death does not preserve human dignity, rather than a kind of

homicide” (P.99).

4

Rahimian, Z., Rahimian, L., Lopez‐Castroman, J., Ostovarfar, J., Fallahi, M. J., Nayeri, M. A., &

Vardanjani, H. M. (2024). What medical conditions lead to a request for euthanasia? A

rapid scoping review. Health Science Reports, 7(3), e1978.

https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.1978

This review examined 197 studies and discovered that terminal cancer (45.4%), dementia

(19.8%), and treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders (12.2%) are some of the most

common conditions that prompt euthanasia requests, and there is no international

agreement on the eligibility criteria used across jurisdictions. It is a PRISMA-ScR

compliant scoping review with two independent extractions published in the peer-

reviewed journal Health Science Reports (Wiley) by a multinational team of researchers

based at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. The present review records that

euthanasia is now expanding to non-terminal and psychiatric conditions, with evidence-

based arguments against why euthanasia should not be legalized in medical practice. The

paper will use the quote, “Clinicians are less inclined to recommend or perform

euthanasia for patients suffering from psychiatric diseases than for patients with life-

threatening somatic illnesses.”