Three reasons why we need to stop physician-assisted suicide.

Alex Schadenberg

Executive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Bill Spadea from NJ 101.5 has published articles and interviews opposing assisted suicide. New Jersey is debating assisted suicide Bill S1072.

Recently,  New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney exercised his political power by replacing two members on the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee who were intending to vote against the Assisted Suicide bill, Bill S1072.

Sweeney replaced these members with two people who voted in favour of Bill S1072 : Senator Scutari .. and himself.

Spadea writes:

He was actually quoted in our news report saying that the assisted suicide bill is not really suicide. What? Very sad that Steve Sweeney is willing to play politics with peoples lives. Very disturbing that the top guy in the legislature is willing to ignore the pleas from medical professionals, disabled advocates, patients and families in order to push his own agenda.

Spadea interviews Kristen Hanson (above), the widow of JJ Hansen, who was the President of the Patients Rights Action Fund. Hanson explains three reasons why assisted suicide must be defeated.

First, doctors get some diagnoses wrong. In her husband's case, he was told he had only a few months to live. Those months turned into years that he was able to spend with his loving and growing family.

Second, the proposed law lacks safeguards for patients suffering from mental health issues and depression. It's a 'prescribe the death pill and move on' mentality with no follow up leaving patients vulnerable to terrible and irreversible actions.

Third, and this may be the most frightening part of the bill, legal doctor assisted suicide leaves the door open for insurance companies to DENY life saving treatments in favor of the lower cost option of suicide.

Further reasons to oppose assisted suicide:

• 12 myths about assisted suicide and medical aid in dying.
• John Kelly's testimony opposing New Jersey assisted suicide bill.
• Diane Coleman: Why I oppose assisted suicide laws.