OTTAWA, Sept 11, 2000 (LSN.ca) - Two polls and a PBS program are promoting the pro-euthanasia cause this week. A PBS program hosted by Bill Moyers called "On our Own Terms" http://www.pbs.org/wnet/onourownterms commenced Sunday and runs till Wednesday. Catholic Parents Online notes that the program seems like "a glossy infomercial" for physician-assisted suicide. The resources listed on the "On Our Own Terms" website is a catalogue of pro-euthanasia groups. Immediately following the program, public meetings are scheduled in every state and major city on "end of life issues." Released today in the Archives of Internal Medicine, a Canadian study claims 73 per cent of terminal cancer patients believe that euthanasia or doctor-assisted suicide should be legalized. The study was however based on a small sample size. Seventy terminally ill patients - 32 men and 38 women, aged 43 to 88 - were interviewed between 1996 and 1998. Eighty other patients who were approached about taking part in the study declined. http://www.thestar.com/back_issues/ED20000911/news/20000911NEW02b_EUTHA11.html
Alex Schadenberg, the Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition of Ontario finds it interesting that a study of 70 people that took place between 1996 - 1998 was published recently without mentioning another study of 168 people that was done recently and showed that even though a person may wish to die at times during the dying process, that their wishes will fluctuate incredibly based on the care that is given to them.
Dr. Harvey Chochinov of the University of Manitoba released a study in the fall of 1999 where 168 patients who were dying from a variety of cancers were asked twice daily to assess the severity of a broad range of symptoms. When symptoms for depression, pain or other symptoms were well assessed and properly managed, that people almost universally changed their mind and wishes to live. Information can be found at: www.canoe.ca/Health9911/05_linton.html
Source:
Euthanasia Prevention Coalition of Ontario
247 Grey St., London, Ontario Canada N6B 1G4
Tel: 1-877-439-3348; Fax: 519-439-7053
E-Mail: aschaden@rcec.london.on.ca