Assisted Suicide

* Re “Dutch Take Step to Make Assisted Suicide Legal,” Nov. 29:

I think the difference between the Dutch law and the Oregon law should be more strongly stressed. The Dutch physician is permitted to actively perform euthanasia; the Oregon physician, after following a carefully outlined protocol, is permitted to prescribe the drugs the patient may use to take his or her own life. The Oregon law is still in danger of being made useless by the introduction of a bill in the U.S. Senate. Incidentally, a well-financed opposition managed to defeat a death-with-dignity bill in Maine similar to Oregon’s in this recent election. Sadly, it received little attention in the news media.

J.L. KAUFMAN

Los Angeles