A terminal cancer patient tells you that she has a stash of sleeping pills in her room and is planning to commit suicide. What do you do?

In this situation I would have informed someone, but then the discussion came up about assisted suicide. If someone is in constant pain and is also terminal, I cannot see the real wrong in it. Being in the bible belt south however, not many people agreed with me. I am Christian, but I don't see how helping someone pass that is in agony and can't get better is a bad thing.

What do you all think?

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Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.
   John Lennon, Strawberry Fields

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as a dr i would only not do n e thing where it is not possible for people to know that i knew, basically because thats the end of ur ability to practice if its found out.  
If noone knew, i would wish them well.

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I think it's fine.  Though each case needs to be judged individually; to what degree is the individual competent to make the decision to die?  In many cases agony can be alleviated with drugs but people in such a state have a one-track mind... If a person is completely competent, then sure, they should be able to make that decision for themselves.  But then where do you draw the line between suicide and euthanasia?  Don't say 'terminal illness.'

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As I walk through the valley of death, I fear no one, for I am the meanest mother fu*ker in the valley. -Gen. Patton

if i lost the will to live because i was terminally ill i would appreciate assisted suicide being an option. if not, then i'd, you know, try to get the job done myself anyway.

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last.fm

And personally I would just feel guilty if she dies. In my own opinion, I'm helping her more by keeping her alive than letting her commit suicide.

And yes, I know about the pain factor. Which makes the decision even more difficult. But I didn't/don't/will not go to school to do the exact opposite of what I'm trained to do.

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We're falling fast.
I used to be scared, denying who I was

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Well, as an actual ethical issue, i would think that assisted suicide can be a viable option. As a doctor, however, im sure there are guidelines that it would breach if you were to say nothing, such as always trying to save the patient etc.

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Quote: from sadnessness at 11:22 am on Oct. 9, 2008

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Well, as an actual ethical issue, i would think that assisted suicide can be a viable option. As a doctor, however, im sure there are guidelines that it would breach if you were to say nothing, such as always trying to save the patient etc.

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There are many places where doctors can legally assist in suicides.

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But anyway, doctors can get in trouble for it. I personally don't believe in euthanasia, I think it basically constitutes suicide. The law strictly prohibits assisted suicide. It doesn't specify cause of suicide. People generally kill themselves out of pain, specifically emotional pain, however that is not to say that that physical pain should be classified any differently. Although I can understand that the patient is in a lot of pain, however things can change. Cures can be found. Suicide should not be allowed when it is based on a belief that they definitely, under all circumstances, will die.

Another argument that can be made is that people who commit suicide do it because they are in a lot of emotional pain, and will die anyway, so why not cut the suffering and do it sooner? This is the same state of mind a terminal patient is in. Their life has been reduced to pain, so why not cut the pain and die sooner? How can we possibly allow suicide based on pain in one way, but not in another?

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all the days were a sun-drenched haze
while the salt spray crusted on the windowpanes...

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How can we possibly allow suicide based on pain in one way, but not in another?  

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