http://www.compassionandchoices.org/2012/07/13/assisted-dying-experts-debate-doctors-role/ End-of-Life Choice, Palliative Care and Counseling Sun, 29 Jul 2012 05:06:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 http://www.compassionandchoices.org/2012/07/13/assisted-dying-experts-debate-doctors-role/#comment-1254 N La Wed, 18 Jul 2012 17:22:11 +0000 http://blog.compassionandchoices.org/?p=2800#comment-1254 How can it not be legal in this country for a terminally ill person to request and receive assistance from the medical proession to peacefully end their own life? We treat our pets with more dignitity in this country. Making the terminally ill suffer is not the sign of a civilized society. If you have ever sat for a month with someone dying of terminal cancer, you will agree with me. Don't ever believe that the terminally ill die peacefully under Hospice care. I wish someone would take this issue to the supreme court. How can it not be legal in this country for a terminally ill person to request and receive assistance from the medical proession to peacefully end their own life? We treat our pets with more dignitity in this country. Making the terminally ill suffer is not the sign of a civilized society. If you have ever sat for a month with someone dying of terminal cancer, you will agree with me. Don’t ever believe that the terminally ill die peacefully under Hospice care. I wish someone would take this issue to the supreme court.

]]> http://www.compassionandchoices.org/2012/07/13/assisted-dying-experts-debate-doctors-role/#comment-1248 D. Lane Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:43:55 +0000 http://blog.compassionandchoices.org/?p=2800#comment-1248 "But assisted dying advocates say doctors should be involved in the dying." Maybe they should, but many doctors do not want to take on that role; and I don't think there should be any pressure on reluctant physicians to do so. I have long felt that getting physicians out of the loop would be a good thing, and I am very happy to let doctors who do not want to be involved with prescribing lethal doses of medications off the hook. There are other means by which such medications could be dispensed, and there are others who will assist the dying in carrying out their wishes. Adults should have the right to end their own suffering and take their own lives through a painless process if they so choose. If removing doctors from the assisted dying process means that physicians' organizations such as the AMA will support Death with Dignity laws, then I'm all for it. “But assisted dying advocates say doctors should be involved in the dying.” Maybe they should, but many doctors do not want to take on that role; and I don’t think there should be any pressure on reluctant physicians to do so.
I have long felt that getting physicians out of the loop would be a good thing, and I am very happy to let doctors who do not want to be involved with prescribing lethal doses of medications off the hook. There are other means by which such medications could be dispensed, and there are others who will assist the dying in carrying out their wishes.
Adults should have the right to end their own suffering and take their own lives through a painless process if they so choose. If removing doctors from the assisted dying process means that physicians’ organizations such as the AMA will support Death with Dignity laws, then I’m all for it.

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