By Michael Cook The American Medical Association voted last week by 71% to 29% to reaffirm its opposition to physician-assisted suicide. Testimony by medical students and residents on the dangers of the practice to both patients and the physician-patient relationship appear to have carried the day in a reference committee. The committee strongly recommended that …
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By Jennifer Popik, J.D., Director, Robert Powell Center for Medical Ethics Earlier today, the American Medical Association affirmed the recommendation of its Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs that the influential AMA remain opposed to assisted suicide. What made the victory even sweeter was the margin– an overwhelming 65% in favor to 35% opposed. After …
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By Dave Andrusko Last June, Jennifer Popik, JD provided NRL News Today readers with a full background report on the AMA’s disappointing decision to continue to review, not maintain, its long-standing opposition to physician-assisted suicide (PAS). Popik, NRLC Director of Federal Legislation, explained that the vote, taken at the annual meeting of the American Medical …
Continue reading "AMA continues to battle over whether to change its position of opposition to PAS to neutrality"
By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director – Euthanasia Prevention Coalition The Worchester Telegram published an excellent op-ed on July 22, written by Dr. Thomas E. Sullivan concerning the American Medical Association (AMA) assisted suicide debate. Dr. Sullivan is the Past President of the Massachusetts Medical Society, the past chair of the New England delegation to the AMA, …
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By Michael Cook The American Medical Association’s official position on assisted suicide is to oppose it as “fundamentally incompatible with the physician’s role as healer.” Its Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs recently recommended that this be maintained. However, delegates at the AMA’s annual meeting in Chicago last week voted by a margin of 56% …
Continue reading "AMA’s stand on assisted suicide weakens after annual meeting"
By Dave Andrusko “If thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.”‘ — George Orwell, “Politics and the English Language” “The U.S. Centers for Disease Control report that suicide rates have risen almost 30% since 1999, which happens to be the year when Oregon issued its first report on legally authorized physician-assisted suicides. … “Giving …
Continue reading "The enormous stakes at issue in the campaign to persuade the AMA to go “neutral” on physician-assisted suicide"
By Jennifer Popik, J.D., NRLC Director of Federal Legislation In a disappointing vote Monday at its annual meeting, the American Medical Association (AMA) voted to continue to review, not maintain, its long-standing opposition to physician-assisted suicide. After two years of hard and detailed work examining the dangerous trends and effects of legalizing physician-assisted suicide, the …
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By Dave Andrusko Editor’s note. As NRL News Today was about to post all stories for the day, news broke that the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates voted not to affirm the report of its Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (CEJA) to maintain opposition to assisted suicide. The vote was 56% to 44% …
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By Dave Andrusko Whenever, and it could be very soon, the AMA decides whether to go “neutral” on physician-assisted decision, the verdict will carry enormous weight. Also invariably, when pro-death forces prevail, one very important reason is because the “body’s defenses” (in the form of leading medical organizations) chose no longer to see “helping” patient …
Continue reading "A careful explanation why the AMA should continue its opposition to physician-assisted suicide"
By Dave Andrusko On May 22, the Psychiatric Times published a very thoughtful article written by Dr. Ronald Pies, Editor in Chief emeritus of the publication. The headline says it all: Will the AMA Heed its own Ethics Council Regarding Assisted Suicide? Who is his audience? A quick Google search tells us that the Psychiatric …
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By Pregnancy Help News Why is the nation’s largest group of physicians and medical students shilling for the lethal, failing abortion industry? That’s the question Pregnancy Help News editor Jay Hobbs poses in a Thursday morning op-ed at The Washington Examiner, which reaches over 14 million readers online each month. As Hobbs points out, an article …
Continue reading "American Medical Association Has a Lot to Learn About Pro-Life Centers"By Jennifer Popik, JD, Director, NRLC Department of Medical Ethics There are conflicting reports about whether the American Medical Association (AMA) is considering abandoning its longtime position in opposition to physician-assisted suicide and going “neutral.” It is important to realize how vital it is that the AMA not change. The AMA’s longtime stance has been, …
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