This was posted on another blog
http://amavenrx.com/forum/topic/show?id=6374337%3ATopic%3A47450&xgs=1&xg_source=msg_share_topic
Regarding HB 6645, enabling physicians to prescribe a lethal dose of barbiturates to assist terminally ill patients to end their lives, I can’t help but remember a lesson from Ethics 101: For every right, there is a corresponding duty.
As a pharmacist, I never signed up to assist people in killing themselves. Who will have to duty to dispense the lethal dose to the patient? I am passionate about, and have dedicated my career, to medication safety. Family members have testified to the emotional suffering they experienced while fulfilling a loved one’s wish to end their life through means such as suffocation.
Imagine if you came to work to find out your job description had changed to include providing the tools one needs to commit suicide. No one should put that responsibility on health care professionals such as doctors and pharmacists, who will have the duty to honor this new “right.”
This is addressing a bill in CONN .. which was defeated…
The question has to be asked with the defeat of this bill.. is they ask as if this (medication) is the only means for someone to end their life?
How many times .. have we filled a Rx when the legit medical need is in question…but.. we dispense it anyway.. because we don’t have solid evidence to back our doubts?
Does anyone believe that at some point in the not so distant future.. that there is going to be a restricted availability to test/procedures.. due to the pt’s age, co-morbidity issues, or some other composite of issues that a “formula” determines that the cost of such test/procedures exceeds the “value” of the pt to our society..
Filed under: General Problems
I think a similar bill was just passed and signed in Vermont. I try and leave my personal and politcal beliefs at the door regarding pro choice and pro life issues but I worked Hopice for a time and today I dont think I could dispense that lethal Rx personally. I think some of these wouldnt be to difficult ro figure out what the end use would be.
Ive already seen rationing. My grandfather had colon cancer with mets to lungs and liver. He had several surgeries over the years but never was he offered chemo as they did catch it early. Didnt take me long to realize because he was in his late 80s, im sure Medicare discouraged it. This was back in late 90s as he passed in 2000 from it.