FOR : IMMEDIATE RELEASE, March 22 2013
FROM: 112 Physicians Who Support HB 505
CONTACT: Paul Gorsuch, 406 761 3181, pgorbus@mac.com
SUBJECT: Bill Will End the Confusion on Physician-Assisted Suicide; Will Protect Patients and Doctors
GREAT FALLS - We are 112 Montana physicians who have joined together to support HB 505.
House Bill 505 is a short and simple bill that will clarify the law of physician-assisted suicide by clearly providing that physician-assisted suicide is not legal in Montana. We support HB 505 because it will protect patients and our profession. See our ad with all of our names, cities and towns now running in many Montana papers.*
HB 505 will be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 9 am. Call 406 444 4800 and tell the Committee to vote “Yes” on HB 505.
Physician assisted suicide means a physician prescribes a lethal medication to another person to commit suicide. This practice is open to abuse and error.
“Physician-assisted suicide is fundamentally incompatible with the physicians’ role as healer, would be difficult or impossible to control, and would pose serious societal risks.” (AMA ethics opinion 2.211).
We Support HB 505
- We Support HB 505 because it will protect the “Jeanette Halls” of the world. Twelve years ago, she had cancer and decided to “do” Oregon’s assisted suicide law. Her doctor talked her out of it and convinced her to be treated instead. Today, she is “thrilled to be alive.” Her photo is in our ad. She states: “If my doctor had believed in assisted suicide, I would be dead.”
- We Support HB 505 because it will protect our patients.
- We Support HB 505 because it is a NORMAL LAW (only two states allow doctors to assist suicides). HB 505 does NOT “send doctors to prison” or prevent doctors from providing the full range of end of life care including palliative care and treatment withdrawal. If you READ THE BILL, this is clear.
To read HB 505 go here: http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2013/billpdf/HB0505.pdf