WHAT would you do if you are very sick, suffering from excruciating pain because of an illness that has no cure? What would you do if your days are numbered and you would just rely on pain medication to manage the severe pain, which would just make you sleep…and sleep… and sleep…only to wake up and feel the pain and again?
Such was the unfortunate case of Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old brain cancer patient, who had to move from California to Oregon to take advantage of that state’s assisted suicide law and die there.
“My wife, Brittany Maynard, spoke up last year to make a difference for terminally ill individuals who are facing a potentially harsh dying process,” intimated Maynard’s widower, Dan Diaz. They lobbied passionately for the bill when it was before the legislature in California.
Last Monday, Oct. 5, California became the fifth state in the nation to legalize assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. Oregon, Washington, Montana and Vermont were the four states that approved of this measure ahead of California. The bill was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown, despite intense opposition from some religious and disability rights groups.
The new California law allows doctors to prescribe medication to end a patient’s life if two doctors agree the person has only six months to live and is mentally competent.
This law, which goes into effect on January 1, makes it a felony to pressure anyone into requesting or taking assisted suicide drugs.
As Reuters reported, those who advocated for the passage of the physician-assisted suicide bill have tried for decades to help end-stage cancer and other patients to die with less pain and suffering. They failed six times in the legislature or the ballot box before finally winning passage last month.
The bill faced strong opposition from some religious groups, including the Roman Catholic Church, and from advocates for people with disabilities. They contended that unscrupulous caregivers or relatives could pressure vulnerable patients to take their own lives.
Reuters further reported that those who opposed worry that the bill would invite insurance companies to take advantage of poor patients by offering to pay for the cost of life-ending drugs, but not for the expensive treatments that could save lives.
Like the Maynards, supporters of the bill said the measure would allow people who are terminally ill to die with dignity and greater comfort.
Reuters further said the law will expire after 10 years unless extended. This was a compromise with lawmakers who were worried about unintended consequences such as the targeting of the poor, elderly and disabled.
Do you support this new law? Would you choose this option for yourself, if ever?
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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
