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What happens in a physician-assisted death?

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11 Comments
  • Paddi Solem says:

    I am on a very limited seniors income. I am setting aside a bit every month to hopefully have enough when I am ready

  • James Leonard Park says:

    Even before we choose the best method of ending our lives,
    we should carefully examine our reasons for wanting death.
    Safeguards should be included in any new legislation
    so that suicidal people do not misuse the new right-to-die.
    Here are some safeguards worth considering:
    http://www.tc.umn.edu/~parkx032/SG-GEN-P.html.

  • Jane Pitre says:

    I want to have the option to be at home drinking a cocktail of drugs that work quickly. Planned at a time that i believe is best for me.

  • Johanna Kapteyn -Hall says:

    Yes, I believe that other qualified health professionals should be allowed to perform the procedure.
    Also, I like the idea of having the drugs available for when the patient feels that the time is right for them. They can then prepare for their transition to their own preferences.

  • Maggie Ramsey says:

    Home IV therapy is an option for many health concerns and should be for this as well. However, of many people, they prefer the hospital and others as passionately prefer home. The choice should belong to the person choosing to die. I know what I would want!

  • eva brown says:

    what are they going to do about life insurance policies? some have a no pay-out for suicide.

  • Jeri Karason says:

    I agree with the comment left by Tam Greenley.. This method will work for me.

  • Jeri Karason says:

    I choose not to be in the hospital or hospis for my death. I plan to be at home in my own bed…It sounds like this is going to be taken away from us, if so then I guess we ( those who plan to stay at home ) will have to find another alternative…I do not want a doctor there , only close family and those I love.

  • Tam Greenley says:

    If assisted death is faster and efficient with IV, why couldn’t the patient have a stent put in and administer the liquid via that route? Taking 100 pills is certainly not an option and I suspect it would be a really unpleasant way to end life. And if the patient has ALS for example, could they swallow that many pills? I suspect it’s the government’s way of absolving themselves of responsibility…” just swallow a hundred pills by yourself and leave us out of it.” Gee, even prisoners sentenced to death don’t have to do that!!

    • Angela Weatley says:

      The article indicates that the “at home option” would be to take 100 capsules mixed into a sweet drink such as juice – a patient doesn’t have to swallow 100 pills, but they would have to have the ability or have help with opening the capsules and emptying them into the juice. I agree with you, however, that the IV option sounds more humane since it sounds like it works much faster.

  • Barbara Lavoie says:

    Thank you for what appears to be a very candid and fair discussion of the topic. Let’s continue to share openly what used to be information only available to medical/health professionals.

Author

Paul Taylor

Contributor

Paul Taylor is a health journalist and former Patient Navigation Advisor at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, where he provided advice and answered questions from patients and their families. Paul will continue to write occasional columns for Healthy Debate.

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