"At this point, there is a reluctance from many around me to take up this discussion, and the future is unclear,” Blakespear said in a statement. “The topic, however, remains of great interest to me and to those who have supported this bill thus far.”
Senator Susan Eggman, who authored the original act in 2016, commented that pushing forward now would create a risk of pushback. She stated:
Stephen Mendelsohn (pictured here): "Meaning she supports further expansion, just not this much this fast if it will cause a backlash and help our side."
This letter is filed on behalf of Not Dead Yet, a national disability organization headquartered in New York with members in California. We oppose the SB 1196 amendments to the California End of Life Option Act for several reasons.
ELIGIBILITY: First and most importantly, the proposed amendments provide for a greatly expanded eligibility for receiving a lethal prescription, removing the current provision based on a “terminal” diagnosis expected to lead to a natural death within six months. The SB 1196 amendment makes millions more people eligible, people with chronic conditions and disabilities who are nowhere near the “end of life” except for their proposed eligibility for assisted suicide.
I am writing as a medical doctor with board certifications in internal medicine, hospice and palliative medicine, and addiction medicine. I work as a hospital physician, a hospice consultant, and provide primary care to an underserved population suffering from mental illness and addiction. Due to the Illinois Senate’s recent efforts to legalize “medical aid in dying” (aka, physician assisted suicide or euthanasia), I feel compelled to voice the opinion of many in the medical community regarding our opposition to empowering medical professionals to prescribe death.
The bill [SB 3499] is based on several flawed assumptions. Firstly, it overestimates the accuracy of a physician’s ability to predict a patient’s death within six months. Over the years, I have witnessed numerous patients who, despite meeting the six-month prognosis criteria for hospice care, have survived well beyond this period. Published studies confirm the high variability of physician prognostication.
By Alex Schadenberg,
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
On March 22, 2024 a proposal for legalizing euthanasia and assisted suicide in Jersey was released in preparation for a debate on the issue on May 21, 2024.
The proposal claims to be limited to people in certain circumstances but upon further examination, the proposal is not limited to terminally ill people and the definitions within the proposal would open the door to a Canadian style euthanasia law.
When Not Dead Yet activists joined me in attending Jack “Dr. Death” Kevorkian’s trial in the late 1990s, Hemlock’s executive director Faye Girsh was there supporting him. Two thirds of his body count consisted of people with non-terminal disabilities. Girsh also advocated eligibility for people with cognitive disabilities and dementia, with or without consent. Leaders also advocated active euthanasia and “mercy killing.”
Dr. Sonu Gaind, [pictured right] head of the psychiatry department at Sunnybrook Hospital, said he is concerned about what the surge in medically assisted deaths & [what it] "says about our society.”
The number of Canadians ending their lives through medically assisted death has grown at a speed that outpaces every other nation in the world.
As Canada is poised to expand eligibility criteria under medical assistance in dying (MAID) legislation, data from all 11 countries where the controversial end-of-life treatment exists shows Canada is the fastest-growing adopter in history, an analysis by the Investigative Journalism Bureau and the Toronto Star has found.
Press Release 02/28/24 A recent report exposed Pfizer’s financial assistance to Dying with Dignity Canada (DWDC), raising questions about its stance on assisted suicide. DWDC has pushed to expand the eligibility for “medically assisted death” to children as young as 12 years old. Pfizer’s support for DWDC raises concerns that it is complicit in prematurely ending lives.
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and colleagues sent a letter to Pfizer CEO Dr. Albert Bourla regarding Pfizer’s donations to DWDC, and the company’s stance on “medically assisted death.”
By Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
I am just returning from a speaking tour which included meetings with elected representatives in Scotland and the Isle of Man. Both jurisdictions are debating the legalization of euthanasia and assisted suicide. While in Scotland, a news story was published concerning Keir Starmer, the leader of the UK Labour party, who promised that if elected he would bring forth a bill to legalize assisted dying.
At the same time the French President, Emmanuel Macron, announced that an "assisted dying" bill would be introduced on May 27. As horrific as Canada's experience with euthanasia has been, the terrible euthanasia stories out of Canada is creating a hesitancy in other countries when they debate legalizing poisoning by doctors.
Author Unknown
I'm a Malinois. Overskilled among dogs, I excel in all disciplines and I'm always ready to work: I NEED to work. But nowadays I get asked to chill on the couch all day everyday.I am an Akita Inu. My ancestors were selected for dog fighting. Today I get asked to be tolerant and I get scolded for my reactivity when another approaches me.
I am a Beagle. When I chase my prey, I raise my voice so the hunters could follow. Today they put an electric collar on me to shut up, and you make me come back to you - no running - with a snap of your fingers.
West Virginia citizens will soon have a say on a constitutional change.
This change aims to ban "medically assisted suicide, euthanasia, or mercy killing." This is the first time a US state has considered a constitutional ban on this medical practice. It is often called assisted suicide or aid-in-dying. Amendment 1 is related to this ban. Citizens will vote on it on November 5, 2024.
By Margaret Dore
In another life, I talked three young men down from suicide.
What I think happened is that a final exit network type person had given them my phone number by mistake. This was before the age of caller ID.
I was contacted by each of the three young men over a period of time, each one wanting assistance to kill himself.
By Diane Coleman [pictured here]
Three days ago, Amber Smock, Vice President of Advocacy at Access Living, was quoted extensively in a Chicago Tribune article about Illinois’ assisted suicide bill. Today, the editorial board of the Tribune took a position opposed to the bill.
The March 5th article, “Should Illinois become a ‘right-to-die’ state? Lawmakers consider end-of-life option for terminally ill adults,” covered both sides. Here is the segment giving Access Living’s perspective as a disability rights organization:
Yet some disability rights advocates warn that the measure could put vulnerable populations at risk, including seniors, disabled folks and people with mental health issues.
By Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition.
Roger Hanshaw [photo at right] who is the Speaker of the House in West Virginia has sponsored House Joint Resolution (HJR 28) to add protection from assisted suicide in the state Bill of Rights. HRJ 28 states the following:
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of West Virginia amending Article III thereof by adding thereto a new section, designated section twenty-three, relating to the protection from medically-assisted suicide or euthanasia in West Virginia; numbering and designating such proposed amendment; and providing a summarized statement of the purpose of such proposed amendment.
Alex Schadenberg,
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
Indiana Resolution 17 titled: A Concurrent Resolution opposing and condemning assisted suicide passed on Wednesday February 29 [2024] passed on the Indiana Senate Committee on Health and Provider Services by a vote of 9 to 2. The following is the wording of the resolution:
Whereas, The State of Indiana has an unqualified interest in the preservation of human life and the State's prohibition on assisting suicide in IC 35-42-1-2.5 both reflects and advances its commitment to the State's interest;
