The Supreme Court heard oral arguments today on whether dying patients should have the right to doctor-assisted suicide. The court is reviewing cases from New York and Washington state. The justices' ruling on the controversial question could have profound consequences for most Americans. Proponents of doctor-assisted suicide say terminally-ill people have the right to a physician's help in ending their final suffering. Opponents say establishing a right to die conflicts with states' interest in protecting life and shields people from undue influence to choose suicide. NPR's Nina Totenberg has a report.
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