8mm
Posted on 06/20/2008 4:17:03 PM PDT by wagglebee
SYDNEY, June 20, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Euthanasia provider and activist Dr. Philip Nitschke has released controversial statements that essentially instruct anyone who believes they are suffering from Alzheimer's disease to avoid obtaining a diagnosis in favour of seeking a doctor who can help them commit suicide as quickly as possible. These comments come on the heels of yesterday's New South Wales jury ruling that convicted two women for the "euthanasia" death of a 71-year old Sydney man, Graeme Wylie, in 2006.
As reported by the news service, The Age, Shirley Justins, the wife of Wylie, was convicted of manslaughter for giving him a suicide drug, and Caren Jenning, who journeyed to Mexico to purchase the lethal drug, Nembutal, was convicted as an accessory to manslaughter. Both women, who claimed Wylie wanted to die this way, face up to 25 years in prison and will likely receive their sentences in November.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the trial centred on whether or not Wylie had the mental capacity to choose to be euthanized. Considering that just four months before his death, the husband and father could not recall his birthday or how many children he had and what sex they were, the jury decided Wylie was not able to choose suicide, and therefore convicted Justins and Jenning with manslaughter.
The court also brought to light the fact that Wiley's will was changed just one week before his death. The new terms stipulated that Jenkins was to receive all but $200,000 of the $2.4 million dollar estate; over double the amount she was to originally receive.
Dr. Nitschke, however, opposed the jury's decision, saying, "Many people said this person [Wylie] knew what he was doing. I thought he knew what he was doing. Yet they base it on the medical evidence that he had lost his ability to make a decision, that he had lost his ability to say whether he could die or not."
Dr. Nitschke, who heads the assisted suicide organization, Exit International, also said the ruling sends a "dreadful message" to Alzheimer's patients, and urged those suffering from the disease to avoid a doctor's diagnosis and seek assisted suicide as quick as possible in order to protect one's family from similar legal battles.
"Don't go to your doctor. Don't have the tests done. And if you do have the tests done that show that you're starting to lose mental capacity, make sure it is not recorded," said the doctor, indicating that those who contact Exit International would be receiving the same message.
"We'll be advising people not to (declare they have Alzheimer's)," he said.
"A person with Alzheimer's disease, means that they may have to move more quickly, and end their lives more quickly before this whole issue of capacity to make a decision comes to the fore," he finished.
The jury's decision and Dr. Nitschke's comments have sparked commentary from several professionals in related fields.
In a LifeSiteNews.com interview, Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, applauded the jury's decision, given the fact that a Swiss euthanasia centre refused to assist in Wylie's suicide because of his increasing dementia. The Swiss centre made this decision despite advice from Dr. Nitschke, who advised them to go ahead with the assisted-suicide after he had made an "assessment" of Wylie's condition.
"The fact is the man was incapable to make these decisions, and they were made on his behalf and it was done against the wishes of his children. One of his daughters in particular was very upset," explained Schadenberg.
He then addressed the shocking statement issued to Alzheimer patients by Dr. Nitschke.
"Dr. Nitschke is hell bent on death," said Schadenberg.
"You have to put this into context. He was the one who told the National Review that the peaceful pill [a suicide pill] should be available to troubled teens."
Schadenberg then commented on the "bigger picture", explaining how Dr. Nitschke is not just fighting for a terminally ill patient's right to assisted suicide, but for "anyone's right to die."
"He sees suicide as a human right. It is not about the right to die of terminally ill people. It is about what they would call the human right to die. The right for anyone to die at the time of their choosing," he concluded.
Glenn Rees from Alzheimer's Australia said Dr. Nitschke's counsel was "worrying on many levels".
"Diagnosis is vital for people with dementia, so they can get all the support they need to avoid depression and the things that might lead to this (euthanasia), so it's ridiculous to say they shouldn't get it," explained Mr. Rees.
Rees finished by asserting that, "The last thing they should be doing is running away from a diagnosis."
University of New South Wales psychiatry professor Brian Draper, alluded to the fact that many Alzheimer's patients can enjoy their lives, saying Dr. Nitschke demonstrated "incredible ignorance" of Alzheimer's disease.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oath_of_the_Hindu_physician
The oath of the Hindu physician, also known as the Vaidya’s Oath, was an oath taken by Hindu physicians. It is dated from the 15th century BCE and requires physicians not to eat meat, drink, or commit adultery. Similar to the Hippocratic Oath, the Vaidya’s Oath entreats physicians not to harm their patients and be solely devoted to their care, even if this put their lives in danger.
They do have a point, unrelated to euthanasia.
If you or a relative suspect loss of mental capacity, it is imperative that they get their legal and financial house in order immediately. Because once that diagnosis has been made, every legal action they make after can be challenged on grounds of competency. And not just by family members, but by outsiders.
This means that they need their will made out, any family trusts that have to be created or have their chain of inheritance verified. Assets that could be protected must be.
Family need to be on the sign in sheet, sharing ownership for safety deposit boxes. Bank and checking accounts should be in two names. Credit cards secured.
Debts have to be accounted for, as well as reoccurring debts.
Powers of attorney need to be obtained ASAP.
And THEN see the doctor.
The assumption has to be that there is at least a chance that some hostile interest will try and get control over the person, their estate, their insurance, etc., using a diagnosis of mental incapacity to treacherous advantage.
And remember, if you do have a living will entrusted to relatives, it doesn’t mean that they have to let others know about it, if it is in your best interests.
Conversely, if some hospital tries to seize control of a patient, a living will can be used to take the patient to a different hospital, especially if the hospital intended to kill them.
A living will could save their life.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventeen_Rules_of_Enjuin
...In our school, teaching about poisons is prohibited, nor should you receive instructions about poisons from other physicians. Moreover, you should not give abortives to the people.
You should rescue even such patients as you dislike or hate. You should do virtuous acts, but in such a way that they do not become known to people. To do good deeds secretly is a mark of virtue.
You should not exhibit avarice and you must not strain to become famous. You should not rebuke or reprove a patient, even if he does not present you with money or goods in gratitude....
This is a scientific breakthrough...not only have they discovered the cure for Alzheimer’s, but every other disease and ailment as well. /s
Thank you for all of those different medical oaths. The Hippocratic Oath was perfect for thousands of years until the culture of death decided that they should be allowed to play god.
No argument here...
I am actually old enough to have taken the Hippocratic Oath
Not only will I not Knowingly take another's Life
I can't do so without breaking who I am
And fracturing the Mantle of Authority which binds my actions
I am convinced that to a great degree,
our lives are defined by our Oaths
They should be entered into with only the most grave of intents
Breaching an Oath breaks who you are, IMHO
Just a nother made up Liberal disease to allow old folks to drink from the government teat.
Unfortunately, there are few left practicing medicine who took the true Hippocratic Oath and while many who took the new one live their lives by the original Oath (my father-in-law and his brother both took the newer one in the early 1970s but have always adhered to the original Oath), they seem to be few and far between these days.
It used to be that people would joke about their doctor always being on the golf course; but it was just a joke, he was there when needed. Today too many doctors are more concerned with insurance billing standards than they are with their patients. And now it seems that the guiding principles for some physicians is to devise ever more effective ways to end their patients lives.
Why doesn’t he practice what he preaches!
I had a vit B-1 deficiency and thought I was dying. I prayed to G-d to help me finish raising my children. In all ways; memory, vocabulary, problem-solving; I was loosing it. After I started the shots I had a new life.
My mother was deficient in B-12. She was ready to commit suicide from the depression alone. She felt like a terrible burden. A month of shots later and she was ready to fight again.
Something as simple as Celiac Disease or IBD can deplete your body of nutrients and put you into a downward spiral.
Don't give up so easily on life. It's hard-won and shouldn't be thrown away.
Yup. The profit motive kind of kills the entire process for me.
Nobody should be motivated to do anything based on profit.
It's just wrong.
Proposed Chief of Staff for the candidate whose race and middle name must not be mentioned./Just Asking - seoul62.......
If killing someone for their organs is motivated by PROFIT, that’s IMMORAL AND ILLEGAL and euthanasia I might add. Don’t try to paint me as anti-capitalist. I’m anti-euthanasia where there’s a HUGE PROFIT MOTIVE to kill innocent people who aren’t terminal.
Guess what? Science is in the process of unlocking the key to dissolving those nasty proteins that make goo in the brain and kill brain cells. If they figure out a way to stop those nasty proteins, there’s a potential cure or Alzheimer’s.
“Guess what? Science is in the process of unlocking the key to dissolving those nasty proteins that make goo in the brain and kill brain cells. If they figure out a way to stop those nasty proteins, there’s a potential cure or Alzheimer’s.”
That is such good news! My dad had Alzheimer’s and had high protein in his blood work, but I’m not sure if it was the same kind of protein.
Astute doctors are having their patients get blood tests to track protein, because too much can also cause heart attacks. I’m also not sure if the kind that causes heart attacks is the same as the kind that causes Alzheimer’s.
I’ll have to ask my doctor next time I go for a check up.
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