REJECTING THE RIGHT TO DIE

November 1999
		Congress has approved legislation that would penalize physicians who assist in suicides. The vote overrides an Oregon law from 1997 that allows doctors to prescribe lethal doses of painkillers for their patients.

Forum Introduction. Is effective legislation attainable? Was Oregon a good model? Is euthanasia legal? How do insurance agencies react to doctor-assisted suicide? Does a dying person have different rights? Manipulating a dying person's decision   Oct. 27, 1999: The House votes against assisted suicide. Nov. 24, 1998: Assisted suicide in Oregon. Browse the NewsHour's coverage of health.     Congressman Dave Weldon Oregon Department of Justice U.S. House of Representatives	Patricia R. Abson of Chewelah, WA writes: As a home care nurse [RN] who has worked with hospice patients, I must take strong issue with well-meaning proponents of physician-assisted suicide. Alas, I have seen many examples of situations where the 'choice' would be abused. People who are sick and dying tend to be depressed and see themselves as physical and economic burdens. Some families, believe it or not, would manipulate the patient's choice, and even rationalize that they were doing it for the patient. Also, I don't believe any ethical physician would consent to such an act. Thank you. Republican Congressman Dave Weldon of Florida responds: Ms. Abson, Thank you for your comments, I agree. For more information I would suggest the book, Forced Exit, by Wesley J. Smith. David Schuman, Deputy Attorney General, Oregon responds: You raise valid points. First, Oregon's law attempts to avoid the problem of depressed patients by prohibiting the issuance of a lethal prescription to any patient who is not mentally healthy. If either of the two doctors who examines the patient suspects that he or she is depressed, the doctor must refer the patient to a mental health professional, and if that person does not certify that the patient is mentally healthy (i.e., not clinically depressed), then no lethal prescription may issue. Second, any physician whose ethical sensibilities are offended by the "Death With Dignity Act" need not participate; the act specifies that no hospital, HMO, or professional licensing board can discipline the non-participating physician for that reason. As to your opinion that no ethical physician would consent to participate, I would suspect that many physicians who consider themselves ethical disagree. In any event, the majority of voters in Oregon disagree, and I don't think Congress has the authority to overrule them.