Doctors shouldn’t assist in suicide

I was saddened that your editorial staff has decided to take a position on the “Death with Dignity” initiative that contradicts the position of the physicians of Washington state. (Jan. 25 editorial, “Dignity should still be in reach at life’s end.”)

Last October the Washington State Medical Association overwhelmingly defeated a proposal to change the official position of the WSMA from opposed to physician-assisted suicide to a position of neutrality. When the Oregon Medical Association changed its position to neutral many years ago, it was portrayed as supporting physician-assisted suicide in the campaign that eventually led to the Oregon law passing. This is a law that no other state has passed since then. The Oregon doctors realized their mistake and quickly reversed their position, but it was too late. Once a law is passed, it is very difficult to change.

The Herald says that Oregon’s law has not been abused. At the 2007 WSMA meeting, a physician from Oregon provided a large amount of documentation showing that in Oregon the safeguards have not prevented abuse of the suicide law.

Hippocrates, the ancient Greek “father of medicine,” understood that a person who heals should not be the person who kills. It is a fundamental conflict of interest, especially in today’s high pressure health care environment, where cost cutting pressure may force physicians to agree to suicide when good medical care would be a far better option.

Former Gov. Gardner has said that this initiative is only the first step. Later he will push for legislation to allow suicide for non-terminally ill patients.

Let’s let physicians be healers and not suicide-assisters, or we will cross a line that we will all regret.

I. Eric Rommen, MD

Snohomish