With the legalization of physician-assisted suicide, the Oregon State Government received a new right, which it exercises: The right to steer citizens to suicide with treatment and/or financial incentives. Oregon doctor, Ken Stevens, describes this right in detail below.*
In Montana, where physician-assisted suicide is not legal, the government does not have that right. The law in Montana is, however, in a confused state, which has opened the door to possible legalization.
To prevent that from happening, tell your legislators to vote "Yes" on HB 505!
_____
* Dr. Stevens states:
Sunday, March 24, 2013
A Response to Representative Moore
Re: Vote "Yes" on HB 505, A Response to David "Doc" Moore
Dear Senate Judiciary Committee:
I was moved by the recent letter in the Montana Standard by David "Doc" Moore who lost his wife to cancer eleven years ago. He says that when she "finally slipped into a coma, we thought that there would be relief." But, instead, "it was clear from her facial expressions and the constant death rattle that she was still suffering."
In 2009, my mother died a similar painful death. But it wasn't from her condition or a disease. You see, my mother was starved and dehydrated to death with massive doses of morphine after she'd had a mild stroke. It had not mattered that she had been trying to speak and had indicated that she wanted water. The family member holding power of attorney, affirmed by a young doctor, had decided that it was time for her to die.
Dear Senate Judiciary Committee:
I was moved by the recent letter in the Montana Standard by David "Doc" Moore who lost his wife to cancer eleven years ago. He says that when she "finally slipped into a coma, we thought that there would be relief." But, instead, "it was clear from her facial expressions and the constant death rattle that she was still suffering."
In 2009, my mother died a similar painful death. But it wasn't from her condition or a disease. You see, my mother was starved and dehydrated to death with massive doses of morphine after she'd had a mild stroke. It had not mattered that she had been trying to speak and had indicated that she wanted water. The family member holding power of attorney, affirmed by a young doctor, had decided that it was time for her to die.
Labels:
HB 505,
Kate Kelly
Daily Interlake Urges Passage of HB 505
Slippery Slope of Assisted Suicide
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/opinion/editorials/article_25f14270-9373-11e2-9930-001a4bcf887a.html?mode=print
Montanans have a libertarian leaning towards a live-and-let-live philosophy, but what about live-and-let-die?
Physician-assisted suicide continues to be the subject of legislation in Helena, and so far lawmakers have justifiably advanced legislation that would ban the practice and make it clear that “consent of the victim” is not a valid defense for a physician who assists a person with suicide.
One’s initial reaction might be to wonder why the Legislature is putting itself in a position of interfering with the autonomy of a person to choose their own demise with medical assistance. Advocates of physician-assisted suicide, after all, can and do bring heart-wrenching testimonials about people with horrible diseases simply wanting help in ending their lives.
But there are also plenty of reasons why more than 100 legislative proposals nationwide to allow physician-assisted suicide have been rejected, and why 112 Montana doctors support the bill that would ban it. Many of those reasons come from the experience of Oregon and Washington, states that passed ballot initiatives to allow physician-assisted suicide.
Labels:
HB 505
Saturday, March 23, 2013
" Vote for HB 505 to stop a bad situation from getting worse"
Dear Senate Judiciary Committee:
Please vote for HB 505 to prevent doctors and nurses from having more power to cause patient deaths. They abuse the power they already have. Please consider my mother's story below. I urge you to vote "yes" on HB 505.
My mother, Sharon Moe, was diagnosed with colon cancer in February of this year. After her surgery, I was told that she may be able to live for 6 months to 2 years. My mother was against assisted suicide and euthanasia and wanted to live as long as possible. She was placed back in the care of the nursing facility where hospice started to care for her. She was placed on a continual feed through a feeding tube because she was unable to take in anything orally due to her medical condition.
From the beginning, hospice wanted to stop the continual feed. My mother was adamant that she wanted to live and told the hospice nurse that she wanted to stay on the continual feed. My mother was able to converse and sit upright within a day or so after being taken back to the nursing facility. Her health was improving and she was doing really well after surgery despite the fact that she was underweight from not being able to eat.
Please vote for HB 505 to prevent doctors and nurses from having more power to cause patient deaths. They abuse the power they already have. Please consider my mother's story below. I urge you to vote "yes" on HB 505.
My mother, Sharon Moe, was diagnosed with colon cancer in February of this year. After her surgery, I was told that she may be able to live for 6 months to 2 years. My mother was against assisted suicide and euthanasia and wanted to live as long as possible. She was placed back in the care of the nursing facility where hospice started to care for her. She was placed on a continual feed through a feeding tube because she was unable to take in anything orally due to her medical condition.
From the beginning, hospice wanted to stop the continual feed. My mother was adamant that she wanted to live and told the hospice nurse that she wanted to stay on the continual feed. My mother was able to converse and sit upright within a day or so after being taken back to the nursing facility. Her health was improving and she was doing really well after surgery despite the fact that she was underweight from not being able to eat.
Labels:
HB 505
Friday, March 22, 2013
Radio Ad Featuring Jeanette Hall and Paul Gorsuch, MD
Listen to Ad Below:
Jeanette Hall: "I’m Jeanette Hall. If my doctor had believed in assisted suicide, I would be dead. Don’t let assisted suicide come to Montana. Tell your legislators to vote “Yes” on House Bill 505!"
Paul Gorsuch, MD: "I’m Dr. Paul Gorsuch. On behalf of myself and a hundred other doctors, I urge you to support House Bill 505."
"House Bill 505 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 convinced her to be treated instead."
Tell your Senators to vote "Yes" on HB 505.
Call 406 444 4800
Jeanette Hall: "I’m Jeanette Hall. If my doctor had believed in assisted suicide, I would be dead. Don’t let assisted suicide come to Montana. Tell your legislators to vote “Yes” on House Bill 505!"
Paul Gorsuch, MD: "I’m Dr. Paul Gorsuch. On behalf of myself and a hundred other doctors, I urge you to support House Bill 505."
"House Bill 505 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 convinced her to be treated instead."
Tell your Senators to vote "Yes" on HB 505.
Call 406 444 4800
Labels:
HB 505,
Jeanette Hall,
MD,
Paul Gorsuch
112 Montana Physicians Who Support HB 505!
PRESS RELEASE - To view print version, click here. To view doctors's ad, click here.
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
To read HB 505 go here: http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2013/billpdf/HB0505.pdf
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
Labels:
HB 505,
Jeanette Hall
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