Euthanizing Medicine

David Stevens, MD, MA (Ethics)CEO

Christian Medical & Dental Associations

PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE

DEFINING TERMS• Suicide • Pulling the Plug • Refusing Treatment• Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) • Euthanasia– Passive Euthanasia– Active Euthanasia

• Voluntary – Patient Consents• Non-Voluntary – Patient Can’t Consent• Involuntary – Patient refuses or can give consent but not

asked

USUAL “SAFEGAURDS”

• Less than 6 months to live• Second opinion• Multiple requests• Waiting Period• Can change mind• Confidential report• Not required– Family notification– Psychiatric exam

Christian Beliefs Oppose PAS

• Human life is sacred because man is made in God’s image. - Genesis 1:26

• God alone is sovereign over life and death– Deut. 32:39 I put to death and I bring to life.– David says in Psalm 139:16 All the days ordained for

me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

• People’s bodies belong to God - 1 Cor. 6:19)

• Suicide is defined as self-killing– Exodus 20:13 Thou shall not kill

• The Bible teaches that human dignity is inherent and not based on capabilities or quality of life.

JEWISH BELIEFS ABOUT PASWe cannot

sanction, favor or support the

legalization of physician-assisted

suicide. Central Conference of American Rabbis

MUSLIM BELIEFS A Doctor shall not take away life even when motivated by mercy. This is prohibited because this is not one of the legitimate indications for killing. Direct guidance in this respect is given by the Prophet's tradition: "In old times there was a man with an ailment that taxed his endurance. He cut his wrist with a knife and bled to death. God was displeased and said "My subject has hastened his end I deny him paradise.

The Holy Quran

PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE HAS BEEN PROHIBITED IN MEDICINE

FOR OVER 2000 YEARS

• History of Hippocratic Oath• The oath says the doctor “will

neither give a deadly drug to anybody if asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect”

• First “Do no harm”

• “PAS is fundamentally inconsistent with the physician’s professional role.”

• “The medical profession must redouble its efforts to provide optimal end of life care.”

• “Requests to physicians for PAS should signal the M.D. that the patient’s needs are unmet and further help is needed.”

PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE IS

DANGEROUS

IT IS DANGEROUS

FOR

PHYSICIANS

DESTROYED

IT TAKES NO GREAT

SKILL

TO

KILL

Gives Physicians

Too Much Power

DANGEROUSFOR

FAMILIES

GUILT ANGER SADNESS

DISSENSION

Interview with 84 year-old woman... when I started losing my hearing about three years ago, it irritated my daughter. She began to question me about financial matters and apparently feels I won’t leave much of an estate to her... She became very rude.... Then one evening (she said) she thought it was okay for older people to commit suicide... So I sit, day after day, knowing what I am expected to do.

IT IS DANGEROUS

FORPATIENTS

The Right to Die will become

The Duty to Die

PRECLUDESRATIONAL

DECISION MAKING

DEPRESSION

IT IS DANGEROUS FOR

SOCIETY

THERE IS A SLIPPERY SLOPE

SAFEGUARDSDON’T WORK

ISSUBJECTIVE

Lives Not Worthy to be Lived?

Oregon’s “Experiment” Isn’t Working

SO WHAT DO WE

DO?

• Fight PAS• Pain Management• Modify Narcotics

Law• More Hospice• Dx and Rx

Depression• Holistic Care• Involve the Church

RESOURCES• Christian Medical Association: www.cmda.org

• Family Research Council: www.frc.org

• National Right to Life Committee: www.nrlc.org

• Life Issues Institute: www.lifeissues.org

• Means to a Better End: A Report on Dying in America Today, November 2002: http://www.lastacts.org/files/misc/meansfull.pdf

• Life on Hold. Finding Hope in the Face of Serious Illness by Laurel Seller