New Jersey Alliance Against Doctor-Prescribed Suicide - News stories about Assisted Suicide

N.J. assisted suicide proposal ignores wrong diagnoses of terminal illness

By Times of Trenton Letters to the Editor
on August 24, 2014 at 6:27 AM

Virtually every state’s chapter of the American Medical Association is opposed to assisted suicide, the reasons for which were absent from The Times’ recent editorial, “Death with dignity for the terminally ill includes crucial safeguards” (Aug. 10).

Studies show that diagnoses of terminal illness are very often wrong. A doctor may know someone has an illness, but determining how quickly it might kill the patient or even if it will kill him or her is difficult to determine. A wrong prognosis can easily lead patients into a spiral of hopelessness and to give up on treatment unnecessarily, thereby prematurely ending their lives.

People with disabilities at risk from assisted suicide measures

TrentonTimes

By Times of Trenton Letters to the Editor
on August 22, 2014 at 6:47 AM

In its editorial "Death with dignity for the terminally ill proposal includes critical safeguards" (Aug. 10),The Times' assurances that the Death with Dignity for the Terminally Ill Act (A2270) has safeguards is not very reassuring to those of us with disabilities, who see it as dangerous to our lives.

Citing the Oregon and Washington laws as further assurance simply repeats propaganda from proponents. The Oregon law has no protection against coercion used against vulnerable people by those whose motives involve fraud or abuse. Oregon annually destroys data in the doctors’ reports about the deaths allowed by the law, leaving only statistics without investigation, so it is really overreaching to say the law has meaningful protections.

Disability Rights Responds to Assisted Suicide poll

The recent Fairleigh Dixon poll of 819 New Jersey residents indicates that the issue of assisted suicide is extremely controversial amongst voters.

Vulnerable patients can be pressured into suicide

By Times of Trenton Letters to the Editor
on August 21, 2014 at 6:09 AM

The Times’ editorial “Death With Dignity for the Terminally Ill includes crucial safeguards” (Aug. 10) claims it was “cruel” for our Legislature not to pass the assisted suicide bill.

On the contrary, what is cruel is putting elderly people at increased risk of family abuse, an undeniable trait of assisted suicide legislation. Not every family is a happy, supportive one. Abuse can and does occur.

Not Dead Yet Applauds Disability Rights Advocates for Key Role in Stalling New Jersey Assisted Suicide Bill

In a stunning defeat today for proponents of assisted suicide, the New Jersey assisted suicide bill A2270 was pulled from the floor and tabled until September for lack of votes. Not Dead Yet applauded New Jersey disability advocates as press reports credited disability rights opposition for the defeat.

Trenton, New Jersey (PRWEB) June 27, 2014