We join the majority of Americans in supporting the not-so-simple idea that clear-thinking, terminally ill patients should have the right to ask for and receive life-ending medications if they so choose.
Given that, we support, in concept, AB 654, legislation by Assembly members Patty Berg, D-Eureka, and Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, which would legalize physician-assisted suicide in California.
The bill, which will be argued before the Assembly Judiciary Committee today, is modeled after Oregon's assisted suicide law which is now facing a challenge before the U.S. Supreme Court.
A recent Field poll found that 70 percent of Americans concur that some dying patients should have access to life-ending medication. But supporting the idea is the easy part. Writing it into law in a way that is humane, reasonable, sensitive to all stake-holders and safe - meaning that it protects against all potential abuse - is the challenge.
The Berg-Levine bill goes far in addressing many concerns. For example, the law would only apply in cases of mentally capable adults who have less than six months to live, a prognosis that must be confirmed by two physicians.
The patient must make two oral requests and a written request. And there must be a two-week waiting period after the first request and another 48-hour waiting period after the written request before the prescription can be written.
It's worth noting that only 208 patients have taken advantage of Oregon's assisted-suicide law since it took effect in 1998.
The concerns we have about the Berg-Levine bill are in the details. For example, it doesn't offer enough protections for low-income patients who may feel pressured to choose suicide for financial reasons. This legislation also doesn't ensure family members will be notified before a loved one chooses this course. That said, we encourage state lawmakers to focus on how to make sure this law has the safeguards needed to protect against problems and abuse, rather than allow this issue to turn into an emotionally charged debate over things that most likely will never happen.
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