Clinician-Patient Interactions About Requests for Physician-Assisted Suicide

Exposing some myths about physician-assisted suicide.

When I was asked to speak at this conference, I was at first hesitant to participate. In fact, I dreaded the prospect of speaking about the legalization of physician-assisted suicide. It's not that I have nothing to say on the issue; like everyone here, I too have something to say about it. Nor have I failed to think about this issue; on the contrary, I've had more than ample opportunity to pon...

Medical concerns about physician-assisted suicide.

The November 8, 1994 passage of Oregon's Measure 16, which permits physicians to comply with the request of a competent adult patient with less than six months to live for a prescription for lethal drugs, has intensified the debate over the legalization of physicianassisted suicide following the defeats of similar initiatives in Washington' and California.2 Subsequent legal challenge to Measure...

Physician-assisted suicide.

Medical professional codes have long prohibited physician involvement in assisting a patient's suicide. However, despite ethical and legal prohibitions, calls for the liberalization of this ban have grown in recent years. The medical profession should articulate its views on the arguments for and against changes in public policy and decide whether changes are prudent. In addressing such a conte...

Physician-assisted suicide.

On election day, November 14, 1994, Oregon voters elected a physician, Dr. John Kitzhaber, as their governor and, simultaneously, granted physicians the legal authority to help people end their own lives. By passing Ballot Measure 16,1 the voters decided that a physician may, at a patient's request, prescribe a medication "for the purpose of ending his or her life in a humane and dignified mann...

Physician-assisted suicide and federalism.