An extremely controversial issue that is receiving much attention is that of assisting terminally ill patients to die. Associated with the hemlock society euthanasia and the right of terminally ill patients to choose death gives control and dignity back into their hands. In 1980, when this organization first began, this concept was foreign and it took many years before it would become accepted by a growing number of individuals.
Jack Humphrey, the founder, named his organization after a plant, a tincture of which had been used by Socrates to end his life with dignity. The organization of this name no longer exists, although some of its chapters still use the name. Today the term aid-in-dying is preferred to the term assisted-suicide due to the negative connotations associated with suicide.
The organization adopted a multi-pronged approach. An important aspect of their activities was to try and change laws and to do this they became involved in the political arena. However, this proved to be a very slow process. Through the years, more and more attention was attracted to this issue. Jack Kervorkian and his machine, the Mercitron attracted attention worldwide. He eventually crossed the line and videotaped himself giving an ALS patient a lethal injection. The tape was aired on 60 minutes and he was eventually charged with second-degree murder.
Another way that more people were forced to think about the issue was through the publication of many books written by Derek Humphrey. Pamphlets, audio and video tapes were also used to educate people. A book called Final Exit made it onto the New York Times bestseller list. The first account of a physician assisting a patient with her death, was published in the New England Journal in 1991. Dr Timothy Quill described how he had given his terminally ill patient, Diane, barbiturates and told her how much she needed to take.
Several countries such as Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and more recently, Canada allow physician-assisted death for terminally ill patients. In America, a couple of other states have followed Oregon in passing right-to-die laws but patients must administer their own medications.
The struggle to have physician-assisted death legalized lead to research into non-medical ways to achieve a peaceful death. One of the most popular methods was the use of helium gas, made available in small kits. Recently, in 2015 Canada has passed a law legalizing physician-assisted death, following in the footsteps of Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
The impact of the original organization has been significant. Over the years they held national conferences, published many books, pamphlets, audio and video tapes and advocated in many different ways for end-of-life choices. It evolved over the years, became End-of-Life Choices and today it is called Compassion and Choices.
Compassion and Choices pursues a multi-pronged approach just like the original organization. It continues to work at having favorable legislation passed. It helps to ensure that patients have access to all the available options when it comes to the ending their lives. It works at increasing the control of the patient wherever possible and helping to prevent intervention that is not wanted. Above all, its aim is to make dying a legitimate and open action for the terminally ill.
Jack Humphrey, the founder, named his organization after a plant, a tincture of which had been used by Socrates to end his life with dignity. The organization of this name no longer exists, although some of its chapters still use the name. Today the term aid-in-dying is preferred to the term assisted-suicide due to the negative connotations associated with suicide.
The organization adopted a multi-pronged approach. An important aspect of their activities was to try and change laws and to do this they became involved in the political arena. However, this proved to be a very slow process. Through the years, more and more attention was attracted to this issue. Jack Kervorkian and his machine, the Mercitron attracted attention worldwide. He eventually crossed the line and videotaped himself giving an ALS patient a lethal injection. The tape was aired on 60 minutes and he was eventually charged with second-degree murder.
Another way that more people were forced to think about the issue was through the publication of many books written by Derek Humphrey. Pamphlets, audio and video tapes were also used to educate people. A book called Final Exit made it onto the New York Times bestseller list. The first account of a physician assisting a patient with her death, was published in the New England Journal in 1991. Dr Timothy Quill described how he had given his terminally ill patient, Diane, barbiturates and told her how much she needed to take.
Several countries such as Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and more recently, Canada allow physician-assisted death for terminally ill patients. In America, a couple of other states have followed Oregon in passing right-to-die laws but patients must administer their own medications.
The struggle to have physician-assisted death legalized lead to research into non-medical ways to achieve a peaceful death. One of the most popular methods was the use of helium gas, made available in small kits. Recently, in 2015 Canada has passed a law legalizing physician-assisted death, following in the footsteps of Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
The impact of the original organization has been significant. Over the years they held national conferences, published many books, pamphlets, audio and video tapes and advocated in many different ways for end-of-life choices. It evolved over the years, became End-of-Life Choices and today it is called Compassion and Choices.
Compassion and Choices pursues a multi-pronged approach just like the original organization. It continues to work at having favorable legislation passed. It helps to ensure that patients have access to all the available options when it comes to the ending their lives. It works at increasing the control of the patient wherever possible and helping to prevent intervention that is not wanted. Above all, its aim is to make dying a legitimate and open action for the terminally ill.
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