Dr. Helen Smith, a Professor of Medicine at Medical School, gave a lecture on physician assisted suicide. In the course of her lecture, Dr. Smith described 3 cases of physician assisted suicide in her own practice. In each of the cases, the patients had end stage terminal cancer and all had requested assistance in dying. Dr. Smith gave the patients instruction on lethal dosages of medication and a prescription for a sufficient number of pills to end life. All took the pills and died. In one of the cases, Dr. Smith had to help the patient swallow the pills by pushing them down the patient's throat. The New York Attorney General is informed and after an investigation seeks to indict Dr. Smith.

Firoz Shaikh, an attorney and former classmate of yours in the College Graduate Program represents Dr. Smith. He asks you to provide him guidance on the ethical aspects of this case. How do you respond?