8/08/2006

CMA doctors back federal measure banning drugs for assisted suicide

Washington, D.C.--August 8, 2006--The nation's largest faith-based association of doctors today expressed support for newly introduced fedderal legislation that would ban the use of narcotics in assisted suicides.

"Congress needs to clarify that while doctors must be empowered to prescribe medicines effectively to relieve pain, they must never abuse that power by helping to kill patients," said Dr. David Stevens, Executive Director of the 17,000-member Christian Medical Association (www.cmda.org; CMA).

Stevens noted that CMA "backs the principles of the Assisted Suicide Prevention Act of 2006 (S 3788)," introduced by Sen. Sam Brownback, Kansas Republican. The bill clarifies that using "controlled substances to assist suicide or euthanasia are not legitimate medical purposes." The bill also provides that using "controlled substances for the purpose of relieving pain and discomfort are legitimate medical purposes."

"This bill simply reinforces what long-standing religious and secular principles have clearly articulated--that none of us is qualified to decide who lives and who dies," noted Dr. Stevens. "From the biblical commandment, 'Thou shaalt not kill' to the Hippocratic promise to ‘neither give a deadly drug to anybody who asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect,' moral and ethical prohibitions against suicide and euthanasia have protected patients for thousands of years. Preventing assisted suicides prevents the abuse of depressed and vulnerable patients who might fall prey to the pressure of overly anxious heirs, cost-conscious HMO's, tired caregivers, or short-sighted doctors who judge that a patient's life is simply not worth living."

"While preserving time-tested protections for patients," observed Dr. Stevens, "this bill explicitly recognizes the crucial role that doctors and medicine can play in alleviating suffering. The bill reaffirms the value of medically appropriate medication, especially in end-of-life care. This is not about artificially prolonging imminent death; it is about providing truly compassionate care during the natural dying process."

CMA Associate Executive Director Dr. Gene Rudd added, "We doctors understand that a terminal illness poses incredible challenges for everyone involved--first and foremost for the patient, but also for loved ones and physicians. Doctors are trained to heal and are focused on accomplishing that task. When healing is no longer possible, it's all too tempting to throw up one's hands in frustration and end the problem quickly with a few pills or an injection.

"There's more to life, and more to medicine, than what goes on in a patient's physical body. Terminally ill patients require and deserve our steadfast commitment not only to providing relief of pain and depression, but also to providing spiritual reassurance and hope. Many, many patients and families who have persevered during difficult days at the end of life have found courage, strength and comfort beyond what they could have ever imagined."

The Christian Medical Association in May 2006 provided Congressional testimony on assisted suicide and euthanasia, and CMA also provides resources on the topic to doctors and the public--all available at www.cmda.org.