Appeals court 'moves nation toward san.ctioning as.sistied suicide WASHINGTON (CNS) - The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals moved the nation a giant step toward allowing p.hysician-assisted suicide with its March 6 ruling that the terminally ill have a constitutional"right to die" when and how they wish with a doctor's help. The court's 8-3 decision ihvalidating a Washington state law against assisted suicide drew sharp criticisms from many religious, medical, legal and pro-lif(: leaders. It was the first time in the United States that a federal appeals court has asserted a "constitutionally protected liberty interest in determining the time and manner of one's own death." "This ruling paves and broade!,\s the road to a complete culture of death," said Cardinal Bernard F. Law of Boston, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee for ProLife Activities. "This is fundamentallv incompatible with the physicia~'s role as healer and caregiver," said Dr. Thomas Reardon, chairman bfthe American Medical Associatio'1's Task Force on Quality Care at the End of Life. Despite the court ruling, it remains "unethical for a physician to intentionally cause the death of a patient," he said. Washington's 'Catholic bishops
urged an immediate appeal to the warned that any ruling affecting them would also be applied to lifeU.S. Supreme Court to reverse the or-death proxy decisions for the decision. "It does not create 'a incompetent. right to die,' it creates a right to be The 9th circuit court fulfilled killed," they s a i d . ' Archbishop ThomasJ'. Murphy .. their worst expectations. Footnote of Seattle led a Prayer Service for 120 in the ruling says, "We should Life March 10 at Mount St. Vinmake it clear that a de.c;ision of a cent, a Seattle residence for the duly appointed surrogate decisionelderly and infirm run by the Sismaker is for all legal purposes the ters of Providence. decision of the patient himself." In his homily he contrasted the Also before the 9th circuit court "culture of death" of the court is an appeal of a decision last decision with the "environment of summer by U.S. District Judge hope and true compassion for the Michael Hogan that the Oregon sick, elderly and dying" ,witnessed Death With Dignity Act, legalizto by Mount St. Vincen~. ing physician-assisted suicide, is Dr. David Stevens, executive unconstitutional. director of the Christian Medical Although their March 6 deci.: and Dental Society, said:" An elite sion was not on that case, known panel of activist judges has thrown as'Lee vs. State of Oregon, the out the basic tenets of tl)e Hippo- appellate judges addressed it and cratic and Judeo-Christian values signaled plainly that .they would that have provided the fqundation not accept Hogan's decision. of medical ethics for two millennia." "The benefit we conclude the In a separate action a Michigan terminally ill are entitled to receive jury dealt opponents of physicianin this case - the right to physicianassisted suicide another defeat assisted suicide - is precisely what March 8 by acquitting Dr. Jack Judge Hogan determined to be a Kevorkian of assisted suicide burden and thus unlawful.... In charges in two of the 27 deaths he doing so, Judge Hogan clearly has assisted at since 1990. He faces erred. 'Lee' not only does not aid trial on two other death~ in April. us in reaching our decision, it is The 9th circuit court; which is directly contrary to our holding," based in San Francisco and has Reinhardt wrote. jurisdiction over nine Western Mark Chopko, general counsel states and Guam, ruled March 6 of the National Conference of that the Washington $tate law Catholic Bishops, said the new making it a criminal offense to decision "expands the law in new assist il) another person's suicide is and dangerous ways." unconstitutional. "Our lawand culture have always "We hold that insofar as the outlawed murder and, for that Washington statute i)['o~ibits phy- reason, have outlawed assisting sicians from prescribing I\fe-ending another in suicide," he said. medication for use by terminally "We need not wonder if there is The Hudner Oncology Center of Saint· Anne's H ospitnl, Fall, ill, compet~nt adults whp wish to a 'slippery slope' in the law. We are hasten their own deaths, it violates on it .... Until (March 6) the supRiver, is sponsoring an educational due process clause of the 14th posed 'right to die' was not part of the prostate cancer support group to Amendment," said Circuit Judge our Constitution," he added. He discuss the emotional and physical Stephen Reinhardt, aut~or of the urged the Supreme Court to reverse impact of a diagnosis of'prostate majority opinion. I the decision as soon as possible. cancer. Although the plaintiffs had Cardinal Law said the ruling The group meets from 2 to 3:30 p.m. each Monday in Room 128 of sought to reverse the state law only sends a chilling message to "milfor the mentally competent termi- lions of elderly and seriously ill the hospital's Clemence Hall. Each nally ill, opponents for years have people in our society." meeting will include pre!.entation of a topic related to prostate cancer. Meetings are free and open to the public and parking and entrance to the hall are available on Forest Street. According to Fred Barbosa, MSW, L1CSW, Oncology Social Worker at the Hudner Center, "the support group is an integral part of the healing proces:, because it enables patients to learn from each other in a safe and supportive environment." Keynote speakers will discuss a variety of topics including the effects of prostate canc(:r on the patient and family, treatment options, and nutrition as wdl as survivorship and post-treatment issues. Upcoming programs include: March 25, "Overview of PSA Testing," Anthony D'Amil;o, M.D.; April 8, "Overview of Treatment Options," Raymond L. Dugal, M.D.; April.22, "Addressing the Effects of Prostate Cancer on the Patient and His Family," Fred Barbosa, MSW, L1CSW,; May 6. "N utrition and the Cancer Patient," Carole Hazen, R 0 and Brenda Helger, RD; May 20, "Addressing Post-Treatment Issues and Survivorship," Barry Brown, MSW, L1CSW and Fred Barbosa, MSW, L1CSW. More information on the new support group is available from BOSTON CARDINAL Bernard F. Law says a recent Fred Barbosa at '(508) (i74-5600, court decisioh calling physician-assisted suicide a c~n federal ext. 2279, or from Rosemarie Baystutional right sends a "chilling" message to tlhe elderly and lies, RN, BSN, MHP, OeN, at (508) 675-5688. seriously·ill. (CNS/ Kessler photo)
Prostate cancer support group to meet at hos,pUal
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THE ANCHOR -
Diocese of Fall River -'- Fri., Mar: 22, 19969
"Human life - every human life - is of incomparable and irreplaceable worth. Bad court decisions are not," he said.
he said. "When a society stops protecting innocent human life in the womb, the sick and then the elderly are next." Burke Balch, director of the Bishop James T. McHugh of . Depart!,l1ent of Medical Ethics of Camden. N.J., a member of Carthe National Right to Life Comdinal Law's committee, said the mittee, said, "This decision singles "opens'a wide door for lawruling out those branded 'terminally ill' yers, euthanasia advocates and and strips them of protection from family members to persuade, if not those who would pressure them actually pressure, patients to end into death." their lives." "The so-called 'right to die' will Steven T. McFarland, general quickly become the duty to die," counsel of the Christian Legal he predicted. Society, criticized the court majorIn response to the court deciity for ignoring "the crucial differ- sion, the American Life League in ence between letting someone die Stafford, Va., began distributing by withdrawing extraordinary med- forms for what it called a" Loving ical treatment and making them Will" - a declaration expressing die by giving them a death-ind ucing in advance a person's desire to agent." continue receiving food, waterand "This is the predictable legacy of basic care in case he or she becomes 'Roe vs. W~de,''' the 1973 Supreme incapable of making medical deciCourt decision legalizing abortion, sions.
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