Are the Assisted Suicide “Safeguards” in Oregon being followed?
The stated “safeguards” in the Oregon law include: being capable, not being depressed, no coercion, self-administration, and life expectancy of less than 6 months. Yet, reports in the public press have described that among those who have died from assisted suicide there are: patients who are depressed; patients who are demented; patients and families “doctor-shopping” until they find a doctor who will write a prescription; patients with swallowing problems requiring assistance in taking the medication (not self-administered); coercive family members; doctors being coerced/intimidated into writing the lethal prescription; patients living as long as a year after being determined eligible. There is no protection for the depressed or mentally ill. Between 2003 and 2005, less than 5% of those dying from assisted suicide had a mental health consultation. There are published reports of a patient diagnosed by a psychiatrist as having dementia, and still receiving a prescription for lethal drug
