http://worldradio.ch/wrs/news/wrsnews/study-assisted-suicide-helpers-distressed.shtml?32735
Thursday, October 4, 2012
One in four people who accompany someone to commit assisted suicide suffer massive psychological distress, according to a new study by the University of Zurich.
Researchers at the university spoke to 85 people who went with a family member or close friend to an EXIT euthanasia clinic.
A quarter suffered from post traumatic stress disorder while 16 percent had depression. Five percent were found to have long-term grief.
The interviews were carried out one to two years after the assisted death of loved ones.
The results state that problems can surface 14 to 24 months later and that a death not from natural causes was a heavy burden for those who supported the deceased.
Although the research didn’t include a direct comparison with the effects of a natural death on a loved one, the study was compared to others.
This showed the researchers that post traumatic stress disorder was more common for people close to an assisted suicide case rather than a natural death.
The results have been published in the journal European Psychiatry, which can be viewed here:
http://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/family-members-traumatized-eur-psych-2012.pdf
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Thursday, October 4, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
Massachusetts: Ballot Question 2, Whose Choice?
"[This] would be on an involuntary basis for those persons who want to live."
By Margaret Dore
I am an attorney in Washington State, where assisted suicide is legal. Our law was passed by a ballot initiative in November 2008 and went into effect in March 2009. Our law is similar to Ballot Question 2.
In Washington State, my former clients own two adult family homes (small elder care facilities). Four days after the election, the adult child of one of their residents asked about getting pills for the purpose of causing his father's death. It wasn't the older gentleman asking for his "right to die."[1]
At that time, our law had not yet gone into effect; the man died before it did. But if our law had been in effect, whose choice would it have been? The choice of his son, or the choice of the older gentleman?
In Washington state, we have already had suggestions to expand our law to direct euthanasia for non-terminal people.[2]. More disturbing, there was this discussion in the Seattle Times suggesting euthanasia for people unable to afford care, which would be on an involuntary basis for those persons who want to live. Columnist Jerry Large stated:
"After Monday's column, some readers were unsympathetic [to people unable to afford care], a few suggested that if you couldn't save enough money to see you through your old age, you shouldn't expect society to bail you out. At least a couple mentioned euthanasia as a solution."[3]
I never saw anything like this prior to our law's being passed in 2008. Be careful what you vote for.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
The Oregon Health Plan Steers Patients to Suicide
Yesterday, the Canadian Department of Justice filed evidence in Leblanc v. Canada, including the affidavit of Oregon doctor Ken Stevens. Therein, Dr. Stevens talks about his patient, Jeanette Hall. He also describes how with legal assisted suicide, the Oregon Health Plan steers patients to suicide. His affidavit concludes:
"The Oregon Health Plan is a government health plan administered by the State of Oregon. If assisted suicide is legalized in Canada, your government health plan could follow a similar pattern. If so, the plan will pay for a patient to die, but not to live."
Please find the full text of his affidavit below. To view a hard copy of his affidavit with supporting documentation, click here.
"The Oregon Health Plan is a government health plan administered by the State of Oregon. If assisted suicide is legalized in Canada, your government health plan could follow a similar pattern. If so, the plan will pay for a patient to die, but not to live."
Please find the full text of his affidavit below. To view a hard copy of his affidavit with supporting documentation, click here.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Montana State Senator Corrects New England Journal of Medicine
Assisted Suicide is Not Legal in Montana
Dear Editor:
I am a Montana State Senator. I disagree with your article, "Redefining Physicians' Role in Assisted Dying," claiming that assisted suicide is legal in Montana. At the very least, Montana law is unclear.
Last year, Senate Bill 167, which would have legalized assisted suicide in Montana, failed. This leaves assisted suicide governed by a Montana Supreme Court case, Baxter v. Montana. An analysis by attorneys Greg Jackson and Matt Bowman describes Baxter as follows:
"The Montana Supreme Court s assisted-suicide decision . . . didn't even 'legalize' assisted-suicide. . . . After Baxter, assisted-suicide continues to carry both criminal and civil liability risks for any doctor, institution, or lay person involved."[1]
Since then, competing articles have appeared in the official Montana State Bar publication disputing whether Baxter legalized assisted suicide.[2] The editor's headline states: "Court ruling still leaves the issue open to argument." [3]
Correct reporting would be that assisted suicide is not legal in Montana and/or hotly disputed. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Senator Greg Hinkle
Thompson Falls, MT
* * *
[1] Greg Jackson, Esq., and Matt Bowman, Esq., "Analysis of Implications of the Baxter Case on Potential Criminal Liability," Montanans Against Assisted Suicide & For Living with Dignity, April 2010, available at http://montanansagainstassistedsuicide.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Analysis-of-Baxter.pdf
[2] Senator Anders Blewett (pro article), Senator Jim Shockley and Margaret Dore (con article), "The aid-in-dying debate: Can a physician legally help a patient die in Montana? Court ruling still leaves the issue open to argument," The Montana Lawyer, November 2011, available at http://maasdocuments.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/montana-lawyer-pro-con-articles-nov-2011.pdf[3] Id.
Dear Editor:
I am a Montana State Senator. I disagree with your article, "Redefining Physicians' Role in Assisted Dying," claiming that assisted suicide is legal in Montana. At the very least, Montana law is unclear.
Last year, Senate Bill 167, which would have legalized assisted suicide in Montana, failed. This leaves assisted suicide governed by a Montana Supreme Court case, Baxter v. Montana. An analysis by attorneys Greg Jackson and Matt Bowman describes Baxter as follows:
"The Montana Supreme Court s assisted-suicide decision . . . didn't even 'legalize' assisted-suicide. . . . After Baxter, assisted-suicide continues to carry both criminal and civil liability risks for any doctor, institution, or lay person involved."[1]
Since then, competing articles have appeared in the official Montana State Bar publication disputing whether Baxter legalized assisted suicide.[2] The editor's headline states: "Court ruling still leaves the issue open to argument." [3]
Correct reporting would be that assisted suicide is not legal in Montana and/or hotly disputed. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Senator Greg Hinkle
Thompson Falls, MT
* * *
[1] Greg Jackson, Esq., and Matt Bowman, Esq., "Analysis of Implications of the Baxter Case on Potential Criminal Liability," Montanans Against Assisted Suicide & For Living with Dignity, April 2010, available at http://montanansagainstassistedsuicide.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Analysis-of-Baxter.pdf
[2] Senator Anders Blewett (pro article), Senator Jim Shockley and Margaret Dore (con article), "The aid-in-dying debate: Can a physician legally help a patient die in Montana? Court ruling still leaves the issue open to argument," The Montana Lawyer, November 2011, available at http://maasdocuments.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/montana-lawyer-pro-con-articles-nov-2011.pdf[3] Id.
Friday, August 31, 2012
New England Journal of Medicine Article Misleading
Dear Editor:
I am a lawyer in Washington State, one of two states where assisted-suicide is legal. The other state is Oregon, which has a similar law. Lisa Lehmann's article, "Redefining Physicians' Role in Assisted Dying," is misleading regarding how these laws work.
First, the Oregon and Washington laws are not limited to people in their "final months" of life.[1,2] Consider for example, Jeanette Hall, who in 2000 was persuaded by her doctor to be treated rather than use Oregon's law. She is alive today, twelve years later.[3]
Second, these laws are not "safe" for patients.[4][5] For example, neither law requires a witness at the death. Without disinterested witnesses, the opportunity is created for the patient's heir, or someone else who will benefit from the patient's death, to administer the lethal dose to the patient without his consent. Even if he struggled, who would know?
Third, the fact that persons using Oregon's law are "more financially secure" than the general population is consistent with elder financial abuse, not patient safety. Do not be deceived.
[1] Margaret K. Dore, "Aid in Dying: Not Legal in Idaho; Not About Choice," The Advocate, official publication of the Idaho State Bar, Vol. 52, No. 9, pages 18-20, September 2010, available at http://www.margaretdore.com/pdf/Not_Legal_in_Idaho.pdf.
[2] Kenneth Stevens, MD, Letter to the Editor, "Oregon mistake costs lives," The Advocate, official publication of the Idaho State Bar, Vol. 52, No. 9, pages 16-17, September 2010, available athttp://www.margaretdore.com/info/September_Letters.pdf
[3] Ms. Hall corresponded with me on July 13, 2012.
[4] See article at note 1. See also Margaret Dore, "Death with Dignity": A Recipe for Elder Abuse and Homicide (Albeit Not by Name)," at 11 Marquette Elder's Advisor 387 (Spring 2010), original and updated version available at http://www.choiceillusion.org/p/the-oregon-washington-assisted-suicide.html
[5] Blum, B. and Eth, S. "Forensic Issues: Geriatric Psychiatry." InKaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry, Seventh Edition, B. Sadock and V. Sadock editors. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, pp. 3150-3158, 2000.
I am a lawyer in Washington State, one of two states where assisted-suicide is legal. The other state is Oregon, which has a similar law. Lisa Lehmann's article, "Redefining Physicians' Role in Assisted Dying," is misleading regarding how these laws work.
First, the Oregon and Washington laws are not limited to people in their "final months" of life.[1,2] Consider for example, Jeanette Hall, who in 2000 was persuaded by her doctor to be treated rather than use Oregon's law. She is alive today, twelve years later.[3]
Second, these laws are not "safe" for patients.[4][5] For example, neither law requires a witness at the death. Without disinterested witnesses, the opportunity is created for the patient's heir, or someone else who will benefit from the patient's death, to administer the lethal dose to the patient without his consent. Even if he struggled, who would know?
Third, the fact that persons using Oregon's law are "more financially secure" than the general population is consistent with elder financial abuse, not patient safety. Do not be deceived.
* * *
[1] Margaret K. Dore, "Aid in Dying: Not Legal in Idaho; Not About Choice," The Advocate, official publication of the Idaho State Bar, Vol. 52, No. 9, pages 18-20, September 2010, available at http://www.margaretdore.com/pdf/Not_Legal_in_Idaho.pdf.
[2] Kenneth Stevens, MD, Letter to the Editor, "Oregon mistake costs lives," The Advocate, official publication of the Idaho State Bar, Vol. 52, No. 9, pages 16-17, September 2010, available athttp://www.margaretdore.com/info/September_Letters.pdf
[3] Ms. Hall corresponded with me on July 13, 2012.
[4] See article at note 1. See also Margaret Dore, "Death with Dignity": A Recipe for Elder Abuse and Homicide (Albeit Not by Name)," at 11 Marquette Elder's Advisor 387 (Spring 2010), original and updated version available at http://www.choiceillusion.org/p/the-oregon-washington-assisted-suicide.html
[5] Blum, B. and Eth, S. "Forensic Issues: Geriatric Psychiatry." InKaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry, Seventh Edition, B. Sadock and V. Sadock editors. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, pp. 3150-3158, 2000.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Support of assisted suicide questioned
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20120821/OPINION03/308210010/Letter-Support-assisted-suicide-questioned Burlington Free Press , 4:03 PM, Aug 20, 2012 |
I would like to commend T.J. Donovan for recognizing the need to enforce the law against those committing physical and financial abuse against the elderly and other vulnerable people. However, according to the Burlington Free Press coverage of the attorney general candidates (Aug. 8), T.J. also supports passage of doctor-prescribed suicide legislation.
My question is this: If an elderly woman can be bullied into turning over her social security check, why doesn't Donovan understand that it is possible to pressure her into making a request for a lethal dose and bullying her into taking it?
BRENDA PEPIN
Montpelier
I would like to commend T.J. Donovan for recognizing the need to enforce the law against those committing physical and financial abuse against the elderly and other vulnerable people. However, according to the Burlington Free Press coverage of the attorney general candidates (Aug. 8), T.J. also supports passage of doctor-prescribed suicide legislation.
My question is this: If an elderly woman can be bullied into turning over her social security check, why doesn't Donovan understand that it is possible to pressure her into making a request for a lethal dose and bullying her into taking it?
BRENDA PEPIN
Montpelier
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