Tag Archives: Compassion and Choices

Marketing Death and Alzheimer’s Disease

Posted on August 22, 2019 by David E Smith

An April, 2019 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association titled “Attitudes Toward Physician-Assisted Death From Individuals Who Learn They Have an Alzheimer Disease Biomarker” found that  approximately 20% of cognitively normal older adults who had elevated beta-amyloid — a biomarker that is thought to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease — said they would consider physician-assisted suicide if they experienced a cognitive decline. Not everyone with amyloid plaques goes on to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

Although no state with legalized physician-assisted suicide currently allows lethal overdoses for people with Alzheimer’s or other dementia, Emily Largent, JD, PhD, …

Posted in Sanctity of Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Marketing Death and Alzheimer’s Disease

When Palliative Care Goes Horribly Wrong

Posted on May 6, 2019 by David E Smith
As I have written before, I was almost fired for refusing to increase a morphine drip “until he stops breathing” on a patient who continued to breathe after his ventilator was removed. The doctors mistakenly presumed he had a massive stroke and thus was irreparably brain-damaged. I was told at that time that giving and increasing the morphine even though the patient showed no discomfort was merely “comfort care” that would “prevent pain”. I knew it was euthanasia.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on When Palliative Care Goes Horribly Wrong

Is the American Nurses Association Ready to Drop Opposition to Assisted Suicide?

Posted on March 30, 2019 by David E Smith
In 2013, the American Nurses Association (ANA) stated this : “The American Nurses Association (ANA) prohibits nurses’ participation in assisted suicide and euthanasiabecause these acts are in direct violation of Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements (ANA, 2001).”
Posted in Sanctity of Life | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Is the American Nurses Association Ready to Drop Opposition to Assisted Suicide?

“Fatal Flaws”: A Must-See Film

Posted on June 26, 2018 by David E Smith
With the American Medical Association considering changing its’ long-standing opposition to physician-assisted suicide despite the recommendations of its’ ethics committee and the California assisted suicide law declared unconstitutional now reinstated pending appeal, assisted suicide/euthanasia groups like Compassion and Choices (the well-funded former Hemlock Society) are ramping up efforts nationwide to legalize assisted suicide.
Posted in Sanctity of Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on “Fatal Flaws”: A Must-See Film