Coming to Virginia: National Debate On *Death With Dignity*
"Death With Dignity Culture Wars Arrive in Virginia," Medical Aid-in-Dying (MAID) Final Report Released Today by Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care, By Blue Virginia - August 22, 2018. - By Jud Richland, volunteer coordinator at the Northern Virginia chapter of Compassion & Choices, the national organization that advocates for legalizing medical aid in dying (MAID).
The national debate about death with dignity is coming to Virginia sooner than you may think. Death with dignity, also known as medical aid in dying (MAID), refers to the medical practice of a terminally ill, mentally capable adult requesting medication from his or her doctor, which allows for a peaceful death if the person so chooses. The underlying premise of MAID, of course, is that we should respect the wishes of terminally ill patients who have weeks or days to live about how they would like to best address their pain and suffering
At Del. Kaye Kory’s request, the Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care, which is an arm of the General Assembly, has been studying MAID for two years. The Joint Commission today released its report and is seeking public comment on whether the Joint Commission should support authorization of the practice. The public comment period is an opportunity for Virginians to stand up for the right to choose the medical care they want.
According to Delegate Kory, “Giving terminally ill patients the right to decide for themselves how to address their pain and suffering without stigma or political interference closely parallels the battle to allow women to make personal reproductive decisions that are best for themselves and their families. The ability of individuals to make informed medical care decisions for themselves is a fundamental human right.”
Seven states and Washington, DC have authorized MAID. Incited by the religious right, however, conservatives in Congress have made several attempts to overturn DC’s law...
A large majority of Americans support MAID. A 2017 Gallup poll found that 73% of U.S. adults agree that when a person has a disease that cannot be cured, “doctors should be allowed by law to end the patient’s life by some painless means if the patient and his or her family request it.” Although MAID often becomes a partisan issue in states when legislation is introduced, the fact is that even most rank-and-file Republicans support it...
Even a majority of physicians – 57% according to a 2016 Medscape survey – support MAID. In fact, in recent years many state and national medical organizations have abandoned their long-held opposition to MAID and adopted positions of support or neutrality.
In Virginia, terminally ill patients already have the right to bring an end to their suffering in a variety of ways...
- Read More, https://bluevirginia.us/2018/08/death-with-dignity-culture-wars-arrive-in-virginia
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