tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216787076261944467.post6794582443863846542..comments2024-03-28T13:26:59.030-04:00Comments on Euthanasia Prevention Coalition: 2008 Summary of Oregon's Death with Dignity ActAlex Schadenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07649977828342637842noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216787076261944467.post-66976445867610418132009-12-16T16:18:59.641-05:002009-12-16T16:18:59.641-05:00Dear Mikael:
If you were an academic you would ha...Dear Mikael:<br /><br />If you were an academic you would have read all of the studies by Linda Ganzini and concluded that all is not well in Oregon.<br /><br />When 15 of 58 people who ask for assisted suicide are found to be depressed or mentally incompetent and in the same year (2007) none of the 49 people who died by assised suicide were sent for a psychiatric assessment, then you would have to conclude that people with depression are dying by assisted suicide in Oregon.<br /><br />Further to that, it isn't religious dribble that creates a concern for people, but rather concern for the public safety. It is inconcievable that a system that uses a self-reporting mechanism would be considered an acceptable level of safeguard. In fact it is a joke.<br /><br />Finally, if you don't wish to argue your point honestly, but rather attack others as aspousing religious dribble, then I guess the real dribble comes from you. Instead of thinking about the arguement you only care to attack the arguer. That is not only immature, but stupid. I guess your the educated one.Alex Schadenberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07649977828342637842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216787076261944467.post-74735050698794312062009-11-24T23:15:22.297-05:002009-11-24T23:15:22.297-05:00"It is unlikely that a physician would submit..."It is unlikely that a physician would submit a report that admits to decisions or actions that are outside of the legal parameters."<br /><br />You sound like Joseph McCarthy or Glenn Beck when you use this kind of fearmongering and baseless accusal to attempt to convince people that something horrible is happening that isn't. You and all the other anti-assisted suicide advocates use fear and religious dribble to preach to a choir who is already set on their beliefs. <br /><br />Nobody cares. Most of the academic community is against you because your claims are based on like 2 examples of horror stories from Oregon. <br /><br />Its been 15 years, get over it.Mikaelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216787076261944467.post-61183492990645601732009-03-06T13:34:00.000-05:002009-03-06T13:34:00.000-05:00Kateryna:The guidelines that were published in 199...Kateryna:<BR/><BR/>The guidelines that were published in 1998 by a state ethics committee to help in implementing Oregon's PAS law <I>recommend</I> that all patients requesting assisted suicide be evaluated by a mental health professional. However, these referrals are rarely (if ever) being made. This year's report states that out of 60 people requesting suicide, only two were referred for psychiatric evaluation. Last year, out of over 40 people who made a suicide request, <I>none</I> were referred for such an evaluation.<BR/><BR/>This is because many of the doctors who are sympathetic to the PAS cause (and end up writing these prescriptions) take the philosophical stance that suicidal wishes are rational in the face of the patient's disease and are not a symptom of underlying depression. Therefore, they consider the patient's death wish normal - they don't see the need for psychiatric intervention.<BR/><BR/>No mention of social work or nursing care is mentioned in the Oregon law. Unfortunately, the only "social work" services most people seeking assisted suicide receive is from the mis-named Compassion & Choices organization, which is filled with people who will come alongside the suffering person - and reinforce and enable their death wish.<BR/><BR/>I recommend the website of Physicians for Compassionate Care, an association of Oregon doctors and health care workers opposed to assisted suicide and euthanasia: http://www.pccef.org/KathleenLundquisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11303049663665917728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216787076261944467.post-50766144663926575992009-03-04T14:07:00.000-05:002009-03-04T14:07:00.000-05:00Thanks for this analysis.Three years ago, the DWDA...Thanks for this analysis.<BR/><BR/>Three years ago, the DWDA report from Oregon's Dept. of Health and Human Services was 24 pages long.<BR/><BR/>Now it's four and a half pages long.<BR/><BR/>From the article in today's Oregonian: "The 11th annual report is the briefest so far, suggesting the absence of surprises in year-to-year data compiled by the state."<BR/><BR/>Um, no. It suggests an absence of <I>data</I> and <I>investigative information</I> - and even more covering up than ever occurred before the legalization of PAS.<BR/><BR/>Maddening. Chilling.KathleenLundquisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11303049663665917728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216787076261944467.post-66797810400605374452009-03-03T17:08:00.000-05:002009-03-03T17:08:00.000-05:00In reading the listed causes for the suicides, I n...In reading the listed causes for the suicides, I noted most of those items can be changed. Sometimes pain management is impossible, but, inadequate care seems to be a not so secret cause for most of these deaths. <BR/><BR/>Does the law require a psychological evaluation in tandem with a doctor's evaluation? What about an assessment of the care level that is received by a social worker? <BR/><BR/>I am just learning about these laws, facing my fears that someone might decide I need to just die. <BR/><BR/>Yours, <BR/><BR/>KatAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com