Physicians-assisted suicide isn't needed

[Guest guest]

Alton,

 

Here was my response. Let's hope yours or mine gets published. Thanks for

your efforts!

 

Roland

 

 

 

While I admire and respect Dr. Leonard Howard, I must take exception to his

recent op-ed in which he argues Hawaii does not need to legalize physician

assisted dying because advances in medicine have made " the issue moot " .

Nothing could be further from the truth. Based on studies from Oregon,

where physician-assisted dying has been a legal option for six years,

interviews with patients electing to hasten their deaths show that loss of

autonomy and dignity are the main reasons given; not pain, which

consistently ranks near the bottom. In fact the studies reveal over 80% of

those who ultimately hastened their deaths were enrolled in hospice,

considered by most to provide the best state-of-the-art pain control and

end-of-life care. Pollyanna attitudes such as those espoused by the Hawaii

Medical Association help explain why nationally, outside of Oregon, 20% of

terminally ill patients commit suicide the same day that they visit their

physician, and that figure jumps to 40% who commit suicide within a week of

their doctor visit. When doctors refuse to honestly acknowledge patient

concerns, patients take matters into their own hands. Locally, a study

among Oahu deaths involving the elderly found that over 70% took their

lives shortly after learning they had a serious illness. Apparently they

felt they could not openly approach their doctor and that there was no

other option available. Contrast this with Oregon, where 90% of patients

are reported to have changed their minds about the desire to hasten death

once they were able to discuss end-of-life issues with their physician in

an open and non-threatening environment. With all due respect to Dr.

Howard, he has admitted he has never been present when one of his patients

has died, and so his arguments about end-of-life patient concerns are more

theoretical than factual. Interestingly, following a presentation to the

Waikiki chapter of the AARP given by Dr. Max Botticelli, Rev. John Heidel

and myself in support of physician assisted dying, Dr. Howard told me " You

know, you and I aren't so far apart on this issue. I support an

individual's right to end his life, but I don't believe a doctor should be

involved. " Len, you don't have to be. The proposed law is entirely

voluntary and anyone opposed on moral grounds, be it patient, physician,

pharmacist or healthcare facility, simply does not have to participate. In

a 1999 Hawaii study, among the 1,028 physicians responding, 40% support

your position. The other 60%, however, didn't, and felt physician-assisted

dying should be a legally available option, albeit one of last resort, when

all of the best that medical science and technology has to offer fails to

relive the patient's suffering. If you are opposed, I respect your

position, but let's be honest about it. Too many opponents are disingenuous

about their motives for opposing physician-assisted dying. Fr. Marc

Alexander, for example, in the past has gone so far as to declare

physician-assisted dying a conspiracy between HMO's and insurance companies

to save on the cost of long term care - religious beliefs had nothing to do

with it. I suppose you could make the same claim about hospice, after all,

a patient is not eligible for hospice services unless he or she agrees to

refrain from all further curative medical treatment. Does this mean St.

Francis Hospice and Hospice Hawaii are in league with those devilish

insurance companies too? Groups like the American Medical Association who

claim that legalizing physician-assisted dying will erode patient trust

haven't looked closely enough at the issue. Patients are more likely to

trust a physician who is open and honest about discussing end-of-life

concerns then one who fails to acknowledge there is a problem in the first

place. Physician, heal thyself.

 

 

Roland L. Halpern

Executive Director

Compassion In Dying of Hawaii

350 Ward Avenue, Suite 106

Honolulu, HI 96814-4004

Ph (808) 988-6900

Fx (808) 988-6909

e-mail: hi

 

 

 

Re: Physicians-assisted suicide isn't needed

 

I read Leonard Howard's Island Voices article with dismay.

He writes. " There is no reason in modern-day medicine for anyone to die the

agonizing death... "

I have been a caregiver for many years. A few months ago I cared for my

friend who died an

agonizing death although she had all the pain relievers modern medicine

provides including morphine and

patches given under hospice authority. To not have Death with Dignity be

made an option to those who choose

it, is one of the most egregious human rights violations occurring in this

century.

Since most people in Hawaii are for Death with Dignity let's pass a law

providing it

this session.

 

Alton Slater