Supreme Court Will Review Assisted-Suicide Law

religionjournal ^ | Feb. 25, 2005 | LifeSiteNews

[AliVeritas]

(LifeSiteNews.com) The U.S. Supreme Court announced this week that it will review a lower court decision upholding Oregon's assisted-suicide law.

Last May, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals narrowly upheld Oregon's Death with Dignity Act, after U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft challenged the law. The Department of Justice argued that the prescribing of lethal medications by doctors was in contravention of the federal Controlled Substances Act. Two of three state judges disagreed, arguing that the regulation of medical practice is outside the jurisdiction of the federal government.

David Stevens, M.D., executive director of the 17,000-member Christian Medical Association, said, "The Court has an opportunity to ensure that patients receive truly compassionate care and pain relief by limiting physicians' use of narcotics for healing -- not death."

Dr. Stevens noted, "As the time-tested Hippocratic oath asserts, the role of a physician is to 'use treatment to help the sick according to my ability and judgment, but never to injure or wrong them.' The oath also asserts, 'I will not give poison to anyone though asked to do so, nor will I suggest such a plan.'

"The reason physicians have taken this oath for centuries is to preserve their patients' rights and the healing authority of the medical profession."

"We don't need to empower physicians to administer lethal doses of narcotics. We need to empower physicians to administer truly pain-relieving doses of narcotics."

[Brilliant]

I don't see how the Court can do anything other than hold that it's a state law issue.

[camle]

if the regulation of the medical profession is beyond the scope of government, why must doctors be licensed by the government?

[Bigh4u2]

"arguing that the regulation of medical practice is outside the jurisdiction of the federal government."

Maybe so, but the 'drugs' they use are not!

[sanchez810]

Good, There must be a wall of separation between the Feds and the Health Care Industy.

[MikefromOhio]

except for the drugs they use....

[Ignatius J Reilly]

After watching my grandfathers agonizing 2+ year death process my father made me promise to "take me behind the barn and put me down, so to speak" if he ever got in that way. It is a shame we don't give terminal people in pain the same dignity we give to a household pet.

Aside from that what right do the feds have to overturn state law - Ashcroft was wrong on this one

[mdmathis6]

The FDA controls the drugs that would be used that's why! Federal law trumps state laws when it comes to narco-
tics and medicine usage.

That's why Oregon's law is not simply a states' rights issue. It is a cynical attempt to force the rest of the nation into allowing assisted suicide.

[camas]

agree my aunt can down with the big A and spent 3 years in nursing homes and VA hospitals until they (VA) let her starve to death. she was raped at least once in a nursing home.