Controversy Over Doctor-Assisted Suicide

I am in favor of physician-assisted suicide with one caveat: Every person seeking physician-assisted suicide should be assessed for depression. If he or she is found to be clinically depressed, then the depression should be treated and the desire to end his or her life reassessed when the person is no longer depressed.

I say this from experience. I suffer from severe fibromyalgia, a very painful muscular disease. The cause is unknown and there is no really effective treatment. I was clinically depressed for two years and wanted nothing more than to die. After hospitalization for a botched suicide attempt, I found a wonderful doctor, physical therapist and psychologist. Although the physical pain is still there, I am very happy I did not kill myself and am enjoying life as much as is physically possible.

LOIS YUNG

Downey

* This letter is to clarify discussion of organized medicine’s stance on physician-assisted suicide as reported in your April 8 editorial. The American Medical Assn.’s ethical policy, as determined by its Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs, remains in opposition to the practice of physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia. In reviewing this issue in light of recent judicial decisions, the association has no intention of retreating from this ethical prohibition, but rather is evaluating its position to fortify it for future public and legal efforts.

In doing so, the AMA hopes to broaden the scope of the debate to encompass what supports, emotional, social and palliative, need to be improved for patients and families at the end of life. In addition, the AMA hopes to lead a campaign to educate the public, physicians, policymakers, jurists and the media about the complex issues differentiating assisted suicide from use of life-sustaining treatment and other end-of-life care options.

The AMA looks forward to contributing to the dialogue on these issues, but must strongly emphasize its continued ethical opposition to physician-assisted suicide.

CHARLES W. PLOWS MD

Chair, AMA Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs

Santa Ana

* Hospice care is designed to allow terminally ill patients to end their lives in a comfortable environment, dying at their own pace. Hospice treats the patient and family members as one unit, helping to deal with clinical and non-clinical end-of-life issues.

Guided by a team of professionals and volunteers that includes the patient’s own physician, hospice provides a broad range of services to the terminally ill and their families, including 24-hour care when necessary, medications and medical supplies, home health aides, therapy and bereavement counseling.

The hospice benefit is available for any Medicare-eligible senior, even those enrolled in HMOs. Patients and family members are free to choose any hospice provider they feel most comfortable with.

We do not condone and will not participate in any form of active euthanasia.

It is our hope that the ongoing discussions about a person’s right to die will indeed change the way people view dying--that it will open up the subject to families and allow them to be more accepting of death rather than fight it when death is imminent. Hospice allows death to occur naturally and painlessly, with comfort and dignity.

MELISSA J. CHRISTIAN

Hospice Care of California

Placentia