Tuesday, March 3, 2020

There is no effective oversight of assisted suicide laws.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition


Assisted suicide laws work by giving a doctor, the power to decide that a person qualifies to die by lethal drugs. The same doctor is given the right in law to prescribe lethal drugs, and finally the same doctor, after the death, submits a report to the relevant authorities. This self-reporting system is designed to protect doctors who are willing to cause the death of a patient.

Dr William Toffler, a physician in Oregon where assisted suicide is legal, explains, in the Fatal Flaws film, how the Oregon assisted suicide law works.
My job as a doctor is to alleviate their suffering its not to be a vending machine when they when they make a good rational argument that they would be better off dead.

Its like being a lawyer for the defense and a lawyer for the prosecution in the same court room. Am I arguing for the health and well-being to extend life as long as is reasonable or am I advocating for their early demise because after all their going to die anyhow? And then, by the way, if you don't think that's a conflict of interest I'm also the Judge to decide which arguement is the best. If your not bothered by that I'm also the executioner.

There are about 200 doctors in the State of Oregon who believe they can keep all that conflict of interest straight. Its a dilusion.
Say no to assisted suicide. 

Order the Fatal Flaws film from the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (Link).

2 comments:

Nan said...

Is it the same in Canada?



Alex Schadenberg said...

YES. It is the same in Canada.