Eighth Annual Oregon Assisted Suicide Report Shorter with More Ambiguous Language

LifeSiteNews ^ | 3/9/07 | Hilary White

[wagglebee]

SALEM, Oregon, March 9, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – It is the ninth year of legal physician assisted suicide (PAS) in Oregon and the state has released its annual report on patients whose lives were ended by legal assisted suicide. This year, euthanasia opponents are pointing to the more ambiguous language in this year’s report saying that the Department of Human Services yielded to pressure by euthanasia activists to cloud the debate.

Under the Death with Dignity Act (DWDA), patients can obtain a prescription for lethal doses of self-administered medications. 65 such prescriptions were given in the last year, written by 40 different doctors. 35 patients took the drugs meant to end their lives and 11 patients used prescriptions made out in previous years, giving the total number of suicides under the DWDA as 46 during 2006, eight more than in 2005.

Unlike reports from previous years, the 2006 annual report uses the phrase, “those patients who participated in the Act” to avoid using the more direct term “physician assisted suicide”.

The report’s authors write, “Since the law was passed in 1997, 292 patients have died under the terms of the law.”

Physicians for Compassionate Care Education Foundation (PCCEF) responded to the report saying they were concerned by the dearth of information compared to reports from previous years. PCCEF is an association of doctors whose goal is to preserve and restore the traditional doctor/patient relationship of trust and respect for the sanctity of life.

PCCEF called the report “amazingly brief and incomplete” and said the type of narrative information on individual cases featured in previous reports was entirely missing. The group noted that although depression is the most common cause of suicidal ideation, only two patients were referred for psychiatric examination. 

The most frequently cited reasons for wanting PAS by the people who killed themselves under the law were loss of autonomy (96%), decreasing ability to participate in activities that made life enjoyable (96%), and loss of dignity (76%). There was a 26% increase in fears of inadequate pain control than was reported in previous years.

Read the 2006 report:
http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/pas/ar-index.shtml

Visit the website of Physicians for Compassionate Care Education Foundation:
http://www.pccef.org/index.htm

[wagglebee]

The group noted that although depression is the most common cause of suicidal ideation, only two patients were referred for psychiatric examination.

The culture of death doesn't care about a person's emotional state if they are eager to die.

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[AliVeritas]

Exactly.

[nothingnew]

There was a 26% increase in fears of inadequate pain control than was reported in previous years.

Does this tie into many (or most) physicians' reluctance or downright refusal to prescribe sufficient effective pain meds for fear of litigation?

I suffer from chronic pain. I'm young enough (haha) and have my wife to comfort me in my times of pain......If I were a little older and living alone, I shudder to think of what I might do without her company and unable to be prescribed a sufficent pain relief in the ending years of my life.......

FMCDH(BITS)

[Pinkbell]

How sad. Close to 300 people have ended their lives. As a Catholic, I worry about the souls of those who have ended their lives in such a way, as suicide is the direct rejection of God. These killing agencies, whether Planned Parenthood or assisted suicide groups, honestly care more about a profit than their patients.

"The most frequently cited reasons for wanting PAS by the people who killed themselves under the law were loss of autonomy (96%), decreasing ability to participate in activities that made life enjoyable (96%), and loss of dignity (76%). There was a 26% increase in fears of inadequate pain control than was reported in previous years."

These reasons don't really seem that valid. Sure there is suffering in life, but that is a part of life. There is nothing dignified about hiring someone to kill you.

Just wait till this gets worse. In the Netherlands, it is said that people are being euthanized who never give consent. Eventually it will be like that here. They'll claim it's in the best interest of older people, disabled people, comatose people, or sick, young babies to be euthanized. Basically, it will make a good form of eugencis to save money and rid society of "burdens". The worst part is, depressed or ill people could make impulse decisions or be coersed into suicide when there are possible treatments for their ailments.

Add assisted suicide to the slippery slope of the left. There were more deaths in 2006 than 2005, and there will be more deaths in 2007 than 2006. Once something is legitamized and legalized, the problem often seems to worsen. Abortion is a perfect example.

[OldPossum]

Sure there is suffering in life, but that is a part of life.

I trust that you are not saying that chronic pain is a part of life. And if so, then I would like to know whether you have suffered from chronic pain for years. In other words, you are talking the talk, just want to know whether you have walked the walk.

[Thanks RR Rest Well]

I have serious ethical issues with the death with dignity crowd. However, it does seems that many medical personnel pat themselves on the back for prolonging life when they are actually just prolonging death.

[Pinkbell]

I have had some various health problems albeit not chronic pain. I could only attempt to imagine how difficult that would be to live with day in and day out. However, I doubt any one has lived a life without some form of suffering. People have a lot of ailments such as diabetes, cancer, depression, etc., and they are a very sad part of life. Human suffering is a part of life that we try our best to alleviate or at least control as no one likes to suffer. Certainly, though, regardless of the pain, I don't believe there is dignity in prematurely ending one's life. (especially in this method as someone is hired to kill a suffering person)

[OldPossum]

Having known people with intractable pain (one within my family), and having suffered chronic pain myself over a period of 15 years until a doctor figured out the cause and cure (this doesn't always happen, by the way), I can relate to those who wish to have relief.

I agree with you that there is no particular dignity in prematurely ending one's life, but I sure can understand their reason for seeking permanent relief, and I cannot understand those who would stand in the way of such a personal decision.

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[Valpal1]

That "personal decision" is currupting the medical field.

PAS is hired killing just like abortion, only this time the object is the self rather than a baby.

There are other corrupting influences such as speeding up inheritences or "conserving" resources for those with more "valuable" lives.

It all boils down to killing for money. Your desire to make a personal decision isn't so personal in its effects on culture and community.

That's why I would stand in the way of such a personal decision.

[OldPossum]

Well, indeed through the political system folks who agree with you can stand in the way of such a personal decision as long as the suicide is administered the way it is in Oregon. But consider this, many (I think it's in the tens of thousands) people in the United States commit suicide every year. Here in the instance of Oregon, it's, what, 35. Doesn't even make a ripple.

So, what are you going to do in the instance of someone who puts a .45 to his head and pulls the trigger? Put him in jail?