The cost to attend medical conferences is prohibitive. Consider donating to the EPC - USA (Donation Link).
The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) FUTURE conference held from July 31 - August 2 in brought together medical students and residents from across the nation with family medicine leaders, residency programs and potential employers for three days of family medicine exploration + celebration." Event. Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) - USA had an Honor and opportunity to participate in the "AAFPFUTURE" Conference.
Part of EPC-USAs' goals are to educate the public along with professionals on issues related to euthanasia, assisted suicide and their effect on society. We provided educational materials, discussions. Assisted Suicide is fundamentally incompatible with the physician’s role as healer. EPC-USA recognizes that Doctors are the original opponents of assisted suicide.
EPC-USA was grateful with the many discussions as well as a great amount of basic information given to participants, including resources and follow up material from Dr. Sharon Quick, President of "Physicians for Compassionate Care educational Foundation". Dr. Quick has expressed that:
“A death request is often a plea for help, but legalizing assisted suicide may allow an option to die to transform into a duty to die.”EPC-USA was able to educate Medical Students and a broad coalition of doctors, medical professionals and attorneys about people who have experienced the direct threat of assisted suicide against themselves or a family member. EPC-USA shared the history of Disability groups such as Not Dead Yet, Second Thoughts and DREDF (Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund), just to name a few who have been at the fore front to stop assisted suicide.
A monumental past leader of DREDF, Marilyn Golden stated:
“If these bills pass, some people’s lives will be ended without their consent, through mistakes and abuse.” “No safeguards have ever been enacted or proposed that can prevent this outcome, which can never be undone.”EPC-USA was able too share the many successes when state coalitions encompassing a broad variety of individuals and groups led their state legislators to understand their concern and opposition to assisted suicide.
One of EPC-USA’s missions is to combat the growing acceptance of assisted suicide through advocacy and education. The broad variety of individuals and groups includes progressive's as well as conservatives, includes a disability and human justice-based movement to prevent the legalization of assisted suicide and euthanasia and to end these practices where they exist. Assisted suicide cuts to the heart of what kind of society we want to live in.
Discussions with conference participants included physicians explaining that their care of patients, must establish a physician-patient relationship based on mutual trust and respect to be able to render the best care to their patients. Not assisted suicide.
Many Medical students and residents were very appreciative to see EPC-USA's booth and expressed the concerns that they have with assisted suicide. These medical students expressed their goal of caring for many patients throughout their lives, extending through to their last days of life.
There were residents, medical students and physicians that were surprised to see our booth and expressed confusion. It was a great opportunity for EPC-USA to share basic information, discussion and provide resources from others doctors that have actively taken a stand to help society realize the problems with assisted suicide. These doctors explain that assisted suicide is Not a Therapy or a Solution.
EPC-USA professionals in attendance were so successful that we ran out of educational material and resources including a the story of a doctor working with a patient that qualified for assisted suicide. The doctor knew that the patient was caught up in the hype of the newly passed assisted suicide law in Oregon and was depressed by a new prognosis. The doctor guided the patient out of out the depression. The patient is still alive and well today. EPC-USA also ran out of educational material on a list of coercion and complications cases that is provided by a disability rights group.
Assisted Suicide is not a type of medical treatment. And affects the nature of medical treatment in our society.
Our table at the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) FUTURE conference was an incredible success.
The cost to attend medical conferences is prohibitive. Donate to the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) - USA (Donation Link).
Colleen Barry is a nurse and the Chair of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) - USA
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