Deadly Law on California's Horizon
Contact: Alexandra Snyder, Life Legal Defense Foundation, 202-717-7371
NAPA, Calif., March 17, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- A California law allowing doctors to prescribe life-ending drugs will go into effect in just 90 days. Under the End of Life Option Act, physicians can prescribe "aid-in-dying" drugs (mega-doses of barbiturates) to patients diagnosed with a disease that, within reasonable medical judgment, will cause death within six months.
The Act has been on hold for the past five months, as it was passed during a special legislative session that was called by Governor Jerry Brown to cut healthcare spending and address Medi-Cal funding shortfalls. The special session closed a few days ago, which means that on June 9, assisted suicide will be legal in California.
"The End of Life Act fundamentally changes the practice of medicine in California," says Alexandra Snyder, Executive Director of Life Legal Defense Foundation. "The new law violates the trust between vulnerable patients and their doctors, who should have an unequivocal commitment to protecting-not shortening-human life."
The original Principles of Medical Ethics of the American Medical Association provided that physicians "ought not to abandon a patient because deemed incurable." Patients already have the right to opt out of unwanted life-prolonging treatment. But now, under the guise of patient "autonomy," California will no longer protect the weak from pressure to end their lives prematurely.
"Aid-in-dying" proponents are working to abandon ever more patients to lethal drugs. They want to legalize doctor-assisted death nationwide. They want assisted suicide available even for those who are not terminally ill. Tragically, their efforts are often successful.
In Oregon, the number of patients who die by assisted suicide has increased by over 800% since the so-called "Death with Dignity Act" was passed. Canada is getting ready to enact legislation that will allow assisted suicide even for those with non-terminal conditions. In the Netherlands, mentally ill patients can go to pop-up clinics to be put to death by doctors who have never treated them.
Life Legal is preparing to challenge the End of Life Option Act before the June 9implementation date.
NAPA, Calif., March 17, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- A California law allowing doctors to prescribe life-ending drugs will go into effect in just 90 days. Under the End of Life Option Act, physicians can prescribe "aid-in-dying" drugs (mega-doses of barbiturates) to patients diagnosed with a disease that, within reasonable medical judgment, will cause death within six months.
The Act has been on hold for the past five months, as it was passed during a special legislative session that was called by Governor Jerry Brown to cut healthcare spending and address Medi-Cal funding shortfalls. The special session closed a few days ago, which means that on June 9, assisted suicide will be legal in California.
"The End of Life Act fundamentally changes the practice of medicine in California," says Alexandra Snyder, Executive Director of Life Legal Defense Foundation. "The new law violates the trust between vulnerable patients and their doctors, who should have an unequivocal commitment to protecting-not shortening-human life."
The original Principles of Medical Ethics of the American Medical Association provided that physicians "ought not to abandon a patient because deemed incurable." Patients already have the right to opt out of unwanted life-prolonging treatment. But now, under the guise of patient "autonomy," California will no longer protect the weak from pressure to end their lives prematurely.
"Aid-in-dying" proponents are working to abandon ever more patients to lethal drugs. They want to legalize doctor-assisted death nationwide. They want assisted suicide available even for those who are not terminally ill. Tragically, their efforts are often successful.
In Oregon, the number of patients who die by assisted suicide has increased by over 800% since the so-called "Death with Dignity Act" was passed. Canada is getting ready to enact legislation that will allow assisted suicide even for those with non-terminal conditions. In the Netherlands, mentally ill patients can go to pop-up clinics to be put to death by doctors who have never treated them.
Life Legal is preparing to challenge the End of Life Option Act before the June 9implementation date.
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| English: Skull and crossbones (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
About Life Legal Defense Foundation
Life Legal Defense Foundation was established in 1989, and is a nonprofit organization composed of attorneys and other concerned citizens committed to giving helpless and innocent human beings of any age, and their advocates, a trained and committed voice in the courtrooms of our nation. For more information about the Life Legal Defense Foundation, visit www.lldf.org.
