Death by the Art of Healing Physician-assisted suicide is a growing and highly controversial concern within our society and legislators today. While it might alleviate patient suffering, physician-assisted suicide is immoral, violates the Hippocratic Oath, and devalues ​​the integrity of medicine. Doctor-assisted suicide should not be practiced or legalized because it can also be classified as murder. Although euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide have the same reasons and goals for killing patients, the need for clear definitions is important. Euthanasia is defined by the doctor who performs the act of death on the patient. While, doctor-assisted suicide is where “the doctor provides the necessary means or information and the patient carries out the act himself (Emanuel, von Gunten and Ferris 3). Suffering has always been a part of human existence. Since the dawn of medicine there have been calls to end suffering through death, whether through medically assisted suicide or euthanasia. “Based on a recent study, 57% of physicians practicing today have received a request for physician-assisted suicide in one form or another” (Emanuel, von Gunten, and Ferris 1-2). There are many reasons why a patient might request assistance with their suicide. Patients make requests for many different reasons which usually arise from physical, psychological, social or spiritual distress or practical concerns. “In one study, depressed patients were 4 to 5 times more likely to ask serious questions about physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia” (Emanuel, von Gunten, and Ferris 2). For centuries most religions, especially Christianity, have been ..... . at the heart of the document...assisted suicide." Nursing Ethics 16.3(2009): 303-18. Academic Search Premier. Web. June 10, 2011. Lachman, Vicki. "Physician-Assisted Suicide: Release or Compassionate Murder?" Medsurg Nursing 19.2 (2010): 121-25. Premier Academic Research. 10 June 2011. Novak, David and Paul S. Mueller. “Ethical decision-making in end-of-life care: palliative sedation and withdrawal or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatments.”, Craig. Assisted suicide and euthanasia: an ethical approach based on natural law. Aldershot, England: Ashgate, 2008. Print.Stingl , Michael. The Price of Compassion: Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia. Peterborough, Ontario: Broadview, 2010. Print.