In our new blog series “The Facts Remain” we will explore the fundamental flaws in the Maryland physician-assisted suicide legislation and similar bills across the country. The first installment covers healthcare discrimination. One of the most insidious dangers in legalizing physician-assisted suicide is how it consummates the acceptance of deeply flawed end-of-life care in Maryland...
As spring begins and many legislative sessions across the country come to an end (including Maryland’s in the coming weeks) we thought it would be interesting to see how proposed physician assisted suicide legislation fared in other states this year. According to one of the bill’s lead proponents, the Death with Dignity National Center, bills...
Yet another state has rightly decided that the real concerns about physician assisted suicide are simply too significant to ignore. This time, Minnesota has decided to table the legislative debate on the subject. The hearing for this legislation, like so many around the country, brought the full weight of those concerns to bear, and it...
We have been thrilled with the positive developments in Maryland. So much so that we haven’t kept folks up to speed on the positive developments continuing around the country, fighting back against the misguided policy of physician assisted suicide. One such example of continued vigilance paying off is in Utah, where the legislature decided to...
Again, we know that the legislation to implement physician assisted suicide appears to thankfully have been defeated in this session, but we still want to recap the House and Senate hearings held on this bill. This is instructive for remembering how this legislation can be defeated in the future. In fact, this recap should instill...
We have obviously reached a turning point in the assisted suicide debate in Maryland. The legislation has been withdrawn in the Senate and, though unconfirmed, is likely to be withdrawn in the House. This happened because of incredible advocacy from a diverse coalition, and an unfailing drive to convey the real problems with the policy...
We are entering the most critical weeks of the assisted suicide debate in Maryland, and reviewing the most critical concerns – which remain unaddressed – is well worth our time. The role of depression in patients’ decisions on end-of-life care absolutely cannot be ignored. Why shouldn’t a depressed person receive treatment for that condition before...
We learned earlier this year that, despite failing last session, the relentless proponents of physician assisted suicide are trying to ram the legislation through again in Colorado. The latest updates on that state’s debate show a shocking development: The Legislature is still likely to reject assisted suicide. Again, though, remember: these folks simply don’t quit....
We have to stay vigilant in our effort to defeat physician assisted suicide, and perhaps even beyond that hopeful success. This is because even in states where the decision seems clear, the proponents of this misguided policy do not quit. In New York State, a court battle has been waged alongside the legislative one. The...
As we begin to advocate against the assisted suicide legislation, H.B.404 and S.B. 418, we need to recognize the commitment of Marylanders who are working hard to defeat the proposal. One such Marylander is Greg Kline – who wrote a comprehensive piece for the Maryland Reporter last week. We encourage you to give it a...