Healthcare & End of Life Concerns

Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) legislation has been reintroduced this legislative session.  House Bill 2505 and Senate Bill 1486 “An Act relative to End-of-Life” held a hearing on April 2nd of this year and the bills now sit in two separate committees.  HB 2505 is in the Joint Committee on Healthcare Finance and SB 1486 is in Senate Ways and Means.  These bills can come out for a vote at any time.   Let Your Voice be Heard!  

Working together, we can join health care professionals, disability groups, senior citizens, the infirmed and countless individuals in saying NO to assisted suicide and to stop the legislation from moving forward this session.

Here are some troubling facts to consider before you contact your elected officials:

• A DEADLY PRESCRIPTION: The bill would allow a physician to provide a deadly drug mixture to an individual diagnosed with less than 6 months to live that, when consumed, would cause death.
  NOTE – The diagnosis could be wrong. Countless individuals have outlived that 6-month diagnosis and enjoyed many more precious months and years with family and friends.
• NO REAL SAFEGUARDS:  A vulnerable individual who is physically disabled, depressed, or fears being a “burden” may be subject to undue influence by others to take the drug mixture, especially if there is a financial benefit as an incentive.
• MISPLACED PRIORITIES: The primary focus of elected officials should be dedicated to legislation providing quality health care, mental health care and palliative care to the sick and dying – particularly in the underserved, poor and minority communities that suffer the most at the time of need.

Bulletin inserts:

Let Your Voice Be Heard Now- English

Let Your Voice Be Heard Now – Spanish

Let Your Voice Be Heard Now – Portuguese

Let Your Voice be Heard Now – Haitian-Creole

Let Your Voice be Heard Now – Vietnamese 

Statement from the MCC – Why the Church and So Many Others Oppose Physician Assisted Suicide.

USCCB flyer on accompanying the dying.