USA/Oregon : Suicide assisté: les patients le demandent sans qu’il y ait à l’origine une situation de réelle souffrance.

An important study of family members of 83 Oregon patients who requested assisted suicide (PAD) shows that people who are being prescribed assisted suicide may not be experiencing significant symptoms of their disease.

A recent study by Linda Ganzini et al, published by the Journal of General Internal Medicine (J Gen Intern Med. 2008 Feb; 23(2):154-7) surveyed family members of Oregon patients who made explicit requests and asked them why their loved ones requested Physician Assisted Suicide. http://www.pallimed.org/2008/02/reasons-for-pas-prognosis-in-tbi-more.html

The study stated that:

"Family members reported that the most important reasons for PAD requests were: wanting control of the circumstances of death; loss of dignity; wanting to die at home and concerns about loss of independence, quality of life, ability to care for self in the future... No physical symptoms experienced at the time of the request were rated higher than 2 on the 1 - 5 scale. In most cases, future concerns about physical symptoms were rated as more important than physical symptoms present at the time of the request."

Ganzini et al conclude their study by stating:

"Our data suggests that when talking with a patient requesting PAD, clinicians should focus on eliciting and addressing worries and apprehensions about the future with the goal of reducing anxiety about the dying process. Some Oregon clinicians have expressed surprise at the paucity of suffering at the time of the request among these patients. Addressing patients’ concerns with concrete interventions that help maintain control, independence and self care, all in the home environment, may be an effective way to address requests for PAD and improve quality of remaining life."

It is interesting to note that as of 2005, Compassion and Choices the assisted suicide political activist group who are centered in Oregon facilitated 73% of all assisted suicide deaths in Oregon. Can it be that assisted suicide prescriptions in Oregon are more likely received when Compassion and Choices refers the person to a member physician, rather than based on the provisions in the law?

Once again the answer to the problem is not providing lethal prescriptions to people who are naturally concerned about their end-of-life care, but rather provide the necessary physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual and social care for the person.

This study also confirms that the social abandonment of people who are dying leads to a feeling of hopelessness that is best dealt with by support and social inclusion rather than lethal drugs.

Contact: Alex Schadenberg, chairperson

Euthanasia Prevention Coalition - International

Phone: 1-877-439-3348, Email: euthanasiaprevention@on.aibn.com