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Originally Posted by GBBob
ok..I'll try and narrow this further..Yes, I think euthanasia should be legal for people with terminal illnesses. To get more specific about the rules, reference Brian's Oregon laws. They have it structured so it is absolutely black and white.
Do you agree with the above? Or not...I really am not sure
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Let's all be clear here too, the use of the term "euthanasia" is wildly misleading and intellectually dishonest in this discussion. Euthanasia is still illegal in Oregon.
Q: How does a patient get a prescription from a participating physician?
A: The patient must meet certain criteria to be able to request to participate in the Act. Then, the following steps must be fulfilled: 1) the patient must make two oral requests to the attending physician, separated by at least 15 days; 2) the patient must provide a written request to the attending physician, signed in the presence of two witnesses, at least one of whom is not related to the patient; 3) the attending physician and a consulting physician must confirm the patient's diagnosis and prognosis; 4) the attending physician and a consulting physician must determine whether the patient is capable of making and communicating health care decisions for him/herself; 5) if either physician believes the patient's judgment is impaired by a psychiatric or psychological disorder (such as depression), the patient must be referred for a psychological examination; 6) the attending physician must inform the patient of feasible alternatives to the Act including comfort care, hospice care, and pain control; 7) the attending physician must request, but may not require, the patient to notify their next-of-kin of the prescription request. A patient can rescind a request at any time and in any manner. The attending physician will also offer the patient an opportunity to rescind his/her request at the end of the 15-day waiting period following the initial request to participate.
Q: Does the Act allow euthanasia?
A: No. Euthanasia is a different procedure for hastening death. In euthanasia, a doctor injects a patient with a lethal dosage of medication. In the Act, a physician prescribes a lethal dose of medication to a patient, but the patient - not the doctor - administers the medication. Euthanasia is illegal in every state in the US, including Oregon. The Act has been legal in Oregon since November 1997.
The latter question addresses why Kevorkian crossed the line with Youk, and got in trouble for it, as I would be willing to say, he should have.