death with dignity act - dc

[Anonymous]

I didn't realize that physician assisted suicide is legal in DC. Apparently it's difficult to find a doctor to actually do that. Here's hoping that will change in a couple decades when my time is up, assuming I live that long.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/a-year-after-dc-passed-its-assisted-suicide-law-only-two-doctors-have-signed-up/2018/04/10/823cf7e2-39ca-11e8-9c0a-85d477d9a226_story.html

[Anonymous]

I wish this was a more wildly available thing. I have seen people suffer horrible deaths, had people beg for me to just end it for them, had people sobbing because they knew what their illness entailed and didn't want to go down that path, etc.


We don't let our pets suffer needlessly when they get to that point in life, why do we make ourselves?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish this was a more wildly available thing. I have seen people suffer horrible deaths, had people beg for me to just end it for them, had people sobbing because they knew what their illness entailed and didn't want to go down that path, etc.


We don't let our pets suffer needlessly when they get to that point in life, why do we make ourselves?

So true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish this was a more wildly available thing. I have seen people suffer horrible deaths, had people beg for me to just end it for them, had people sobbing because they knew what their illness entailed and didn't want to go down that path, etc.


We don't let our pets suffer needlessly when they get to that point in life, why do we make ourselves?

So true.

I think because we have consciousness?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish this was a more wildly available thing. I have seen people suffer horrible deaths, had people beg for me to just end it for them, had people sobbing because they knew what their illness entailed and didn't want to go down that path, etc.


We don't let our pets suffer needlessly when they get to that point in life, why do we make ourselves?

So true.

I think because we have consciousness?

Could you explain your viewpoint more?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn't realize that physician assisted suicide is legal in DC. Apparently it's difficult to find a doctor to actually do that. Here's hoping that will change in a couple decades when my time is up, assuming I live that long.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/a-year-after-dc-passed-its-assisted-suicide-law-only-two-doctors-have-signed-up/2018/04/10/823cf7e2-39ca-11e8-9c0a-85d477d9a226_story.html

Because it's a blatant violation of the Hippocratic Oath.

[Anonymous]

This is sort of in the same vein: I know elderly folks who are pretty much in a vegetative state, needing full time care due to multiple strokes. They are also on BP meds, cholesterol meds, insulin, etc. The families often express it would be a blessing for the person to pass away, as they have zero quality of life or even awareness most of the time. Why can't the meds just be stopped? The worst that could happen is they die.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is sort of in the same vein: I know elderly folks who are pretty much in a vegetative state, needing full time care due to multiple strokes. They are also on BP meds, cholesterol meds, insulin, etc. The families often express it would be a blessing for the person to pass away, as they have zero quality of life or even awareness most of the time. Why can't the meds just be stopped? The worst that could happen is they die.

That's what we did when my mother was in the same situation you described. The doctor told me that she could survive for another few years, but that it would be inhumane. He gave me the option to let them turn off the blood pressure cuffs on her legs, which would lead to a heart attack. If I instructed them not to resuscitate her, then she could pass away. We discontinued all of the medication except for the pain meds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn't realize that physician assisted suicide is legal in DC. Apparently it's difficult to find a doctor to actually do that. Here's hoping that will change in a couple decades when my time is up, assuming I live that long.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/a-year-after-dc-passed-its-assisted-suicide-law-only-two-doctors-have-signed-up/2018/04/10/823cf7e2-39ca-11e8-9c0a-85d477d9a226_story.html

Because it's a blatant violation of the Hippocratic Oath.

This is highly debatable. It can be argued that 'harm' might entail the refusal to end suffering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn't realize that physician assisted suicide is legal in DC. Apparently it's difficult to find a doctor to actually do that. Here's hoping that will change in a couple decades when my time is up, assuming I live that long.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/a-year-after-dc-passed-its-assisted-suicide-law-only-two-doctors-have-signed-up/2018/04/10/823cf7e2-39ca-11e8-9c0a-85d477d9a226_story.html

Because it's a blatant violation of the Hippocratic Oath.

This is highly debatable. It can be argued that 'harm' might entail the refusal to end suffering.

curious for those who think lethal injection is cruel and unusual punishment why is this okay?