Doctor Assisted Suicide approved by Montana Court

[whopper]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20081206/D94TCSTG2.html

Montana judge: man has right to assisted suicide


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Dec 6, 2:07 PM (ET)


HELENA, Mont. (AP) - A Montana judge has issued a ruling saying residents of the state have the right to doctor-assisted suicide.

The ruling issued late Friday by state District Court Judge Dorothy McCarter makes Montana the third state in which doctor-assisted suicide is legal.

The judge said Saturday she ruled in a lawsuit filed by a terminally ill Billings man, four physicians and a nonprofit patients rights group, Compassion & Choices.

McCarter's ruling holds that mentally competent, terminally ill Montanans have a right to obtain medications that can be self-administered to bring about a peaceful death if they find their suffering to be unbearable.

The ruling also says physicians can prescribe such medication without fear of criminal prosecution.

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[Sneezing]

Any Western state folks have any experience with this?
1) Have you done or know some one who does the psych evals?
2) Any knowledge of psychiatrists being the primary doc the patient asked the medications of and eventually prescribed the lethal dose?
3) Residents in these states: do you guys get any lectures or training in this at all?

 

[loveoforganic]

 

[digitlnoize]

Any Western state folks have any experience with this?
1) Have you done or know some one who does the psych evals?
2) Any knowledge of psychiatrists being the primary doc the patient asked the medications of and eventually prescribed the lethal dose?
3) Residents in these states: do you guys get any lectures or training in this at all?

Which states? The link seems broken to me...

Edit: nevermind. It's Washington and Oregon. This was upheld by the Montana Supreme Court in late 2009. Here's the link:

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0...-state-to-legalize-physician-assisted-suicide

And, it looks like the Montana Legislature is trying, but failing, to address the issue (by either upholding the ruling or banning the practice altogether). http://billingsgazette.com/news/sta...cle_a35791fe-3d00-11e0-bff3-001cc4c002e0.html

As far as I know, Montana doesn't have a psych residency. Correction: it doesn't, I just checked.

Oddly enough, I have 2 good friends who live in Montana and love it. Neither are psychiatrists though. I imagine it is one of the most physician-poor states in the country.

Oh, and amazing 3 year bump, btw. Digging deep.

 

[loveoforganic]

Oh lordy, didn't notice. And I thought Oregon was the only state :x

 

[Sneezing]

I could have started another thread but this one already draws attention to assisted suicide. So yeah, my understanding is WA, OR, and MT have it. OR has OHSU and an osteo program in Corvalis. WA has UW and their branch program in spokane.

The demographics of patients using this are interesting.

I'm wondering if anyone has any training or experience with it?

I was reading WA state's law/rules and it made me cringe. They spoke of declaring the patient competent and used the word as though it were capacity. Physicians don't declare competency but they can declare capacity.

 

[whopper]

I would never participate in one unless there was something in my mind that was rock-solid appeasing my fears that it was done ethically and a standard was somehow set. IMHO I have more knowledge in this subject than most given that I've read the book Final Exit from the Hemlock Society, and my forensic psychiatry fellowship dealt with subject extensively, and I even believe that euthanasia should be an available option, but my hestitation would be very strong. Further, I completely acknowledge that if it were legal, there'd have to be several safeguards to make sure it wasn't mishandled. A simple situation of a patient saying they'd want one would not be good enough IMHO. IMHO this needs to be approved by a third party source and actively debated. E.g. a court-hearing, but not one on the order of having to wait months or even years.

 

[digitlnoize]

I could have started another thread but this one already draws attention to assisted suicide.

Just FYI, I truly was complimenting your ancient bump. I'd rather continue an old thread than start a brand new one myself.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

IMHO I have more knowledge in this subject than most given that I've read the book Final Exit from the Hemlock Society...

Thank you for the book recommendation.