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PASSAGEFOUR(1)TheSupremeCourt'sdecisionsonphysician-assistedsuicidecarryimportantimplicationsforhowmedicineseekstorelievedyingpatientsofpainandsuffering.(2)Althoughitruledthatthereisnoconstitutionalrighttophysician-assistedsuicide,theCourtineffectsupportedthemedicalprincipleof"doubleeffect",acenturies-oldmoralprincipleholdingthatanactionhavingtwoeffects—agoodonethatisintendedandaharmfulonethatisforeseen—ispermissibleiftheactorintendsonlythegoodeffect.(3)Doctorshaveusedthatprincipleinrecentyearstojustifyusinghighdosesofmorphinetocontrolterminallyillpatients'pain,eventhoughincreasingdosageswilleventuallykillthepatient.(4)NancyDubler,directorofMontefioreMedicalCenter,contendsthattheprinciplewillshielddoctorswho"untilnowhavevery,verystronglyinsistedthattheycouldnotgivepatientssufficientmediationtocontroltheirpainifthatmighthastendeath."(5)GeorgeAnnas,chairofthehealthlawdepartmentatBostonUniversity,maintainsthat,aslongasadoctorprescribesadrugforalegitimatemedicalpurpose,thedoctorhasdonenothingillegalevenifthepatientusesthedrugtohastendeath."It'slikesurgery,"hesays."Wedon'tcallthosedeathshomicidesbecausethedoctorsdidn'tintendtokilltheirpatients,althoughtheyriskedtheirdeath.Ifyou'reaphysician,youcanriskyourpatient'ssuicideaslongasyoudon'tintendtheirsuicide."(6)Onanotherlevel,manyinthemedicalcommunityacknowledgethattheassisted-suicidedebatehasbeenfueledinpartbythedespairofpatientsforwhommodemmedicinehasprolongedthephysicalagonyofdying.(7)JustthreeweeksbeforetheCourt'srulingonphysician-assistedsuicide,theNationalAcademyofScience(NAS)releasedatwo-volumereport,ApproachingDeath:ImprovingCareattheEndofLife.Itidentifiestheundertreatmentofpainandtheaggressiveuseof"ineffectualandforcedmedicalproceduresthatmayprolongandevendishonortheperiodofdying"asthetwinproblemsofend-of-lifecare.(8)Theprofessionistakingstepstorequireyoungdoctorstotraininhospices,totestknowledgeofaggressivepainmanagementtherapies,todevelopaMedicarebillingcodeforhospital-basedcare,andtodevelopnewstandardsforassessingandtreatingpainattheendoflife.(9)Annassayslawyerscanplayakeyroleininsistingthatthesewell-meaningmedicalinitiativestranslateintobettercare.“Largenumbersofphysiciansseemunconcernedwiththepaintheirpatientsareneedlesslyandpredictablysuffering,”totheextentthatitconstitutes“systematicpatientabuse。”Hesaysmedicallicensingboards“mustmakeitclear...thatpainfuldeathsarepresumptivelyonesthatareincompetentlymanagedandshouldresultinlicensesuspension.”　　36.Fromthefirstthreeparagraphs,welearnthat

题型：单选题

选项

A. doctors used to increase drug dosages to control their patients' pain.

B. it is still illegal for doctors to help the dying end their lives.

C. the Supreme Court strongly opposes physician-assisted suicide.

D. patients have no constitutional right to commit suicide.

正确答案：B

名词解析

【答案】 B

　　【考点】事实细节题。

　　【分析】本题针对第一到第三段的所有内容进行了测试，选项[A]的相关信息可以定位到第三段，但是文中说“近几年医生才用这个原则为自己的行为辩护”。文中无法得出“过去常常”的说法。选项[B]可以定位到第二段，文中提到“宪法没有赋予这样的权利”。所以可以说，本答案是正确的。选项[C]可以定位到第二段，但是法院是支持这样的做法的。至于[D]，显然是错的。