tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10381465.post113795289236501533..comments2009-07-16T12:14:56.570-07:00Wesley J. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087063614354714652wjs@wesleyjsmith.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10381465.post-1137980908148825432006-01-22T17:48:00.000-08:002006-01-22T17:48:00.000-08:00In Oregon, most doctors refuse to commit assisted suicide. Thus, a great many suicidal patients who do obtain lethal prescriptions receive their poison from doctors who they have not met, except for the request to die. In a word: Kevorkianism. Second opinions, as in the Netherlands, are often by assisted suicide friendly doctors. There is no requirement for counseling, palliation, or any attempt to dissuade.<BR/><BR/>Besides, these safeguards, such as they are, are irrelevant. The proper medical response to a request for suicide, whether the person is dying or not, is prevention--which is part of the hospice philosophy. <BR/><BR/>Killing or hastening death is not a medical act. Providing long term care is. But given that we have had distinct troubles in this sector, what makes you think that assisted suicide would not make the already too often abandonment of the elderly, worse?<BR/><BR/>Thanks for writing.Wesley J. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00087063614354714652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10381465.post-1137971369613888692006-01-22T15:09:00.000-08:002006-01-22T15:09:00.000-08:00Why do you think the physicians who you do not think honorable enough to deliver assisted suicide drugs are honorable enough to provide care for a longer period of time? Why does the automatic second opinion not provide the safeguards against murder that you fear, and what safeguards are there on preventing such murder, or any other abuse, during long term care?Ed Darrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041161650761624155noreply@blogger.com