8 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, September 23, 1998 Physician-assisted suicide forum provokes debate Locking arms FORUM Continued from Page £ options, including hospice care and pain control. "We've tried to write a proposal that's reasonable, which will allow terminally ill, mentally-competent adults to hasten their deaths," Pierce said. "People on the whole want to live, and physicians want them to live." Most polls show popular support for physi- cian-assisted suicide throughout the state, but the proposal still faces a well-funded opposi- tion. Jessica Berg, academic director of the American Medical Association Institute for Ethics, commented on the legal and institution- al complications the bill could face if approved. "The Supreme Court has said ... it's really up to states to decide on doctor-assisted suicide," Berg said. Berg compared the ballot proposal to the Oregon Right to Die Law, which has similar provisions for physician-assisted suicide, but not as many "safe- guards." For example, it does not require a psychi- atric consultation. Berg added that the proposal could face chal- lenges about the criterion chosen for beneficiaries of the law. The proposal would open debate on issues such as whether patients with one year to live have the right to die, or whether a seven-day waiting period is adequate. These defined characteristics of the proposal could be questioned in court, Berg said. Berg also pointed to efforts by the Republican-led federal government to pass a law allowing the Drug Enforcement Agency to restrict or punish physicians who prescribe medication for assisted :suicide. Berg said the bill could have a "chilling effect" on doctors considering whether to help their patients end their lives. Berg added that the proposed bill would counter the Supreme Court's earlier decisions, which allow for states to legislate their own assisted-suicide laws. Mary Lindquist, director of Arbor Hospice, spoke about the value of a dying person's last few days. She emphasized the pain durng this period of time can be greatly eased by medication. "I have learned ... that so much can happen in this time that is valuable to patients and their family," Lindquist said. "With all the medica- tion at our fingertips, we can keep patients comfortable. We focus on living, not on dying." The audience reacted with strong applause to Lindquist's comments. People in attendance were invited to ask questions and remark on the issues. At one point, John Severin, a family medicine physician, raised the question regarding the pres- sures facing elderly patients, who may be convinced to consider physician-assisted suicide because of outside pressures. "My concern is that elderly patients are vulnera- ble to social, economic and family pressures," Severin said. Others saw greater danger in the proposed law. "I believe this will very quickly deteriorate into suicide on demand," said Mary Ellen Donnely, an audience member. - DailyStaff Reporter Karn Chopra contributed to this report. AP PHOTO South African President Nelson Mandela give a consoling embrace to President Clinton during a meet- ing with African American religious leaders in the White House yesterday. SUICIDE, Continued from Oage 1 RLM Presient Barbara Listing said in an amtide published on the organizaltionls \\bsitc that by :having to pay to get signatures, Merian's Friends showed the lack of support for the bill. "This initiatie wii only succeed through misreprentation:7 Listing said. "They will igore our legisatio to revolutionize painmanagement. the will ignore the hope for curing cancer and they will try to rainn ash us into believing that killing is a new form of healing." Fieger came out of now here and gained the right to face oft with Engler in November. ut he has been using his much-publicized defense of Kevorkian to appel to audiences. Fieger said he does cot personally support assisted suicid: or abortior rather for him it is L ciil righMP issue. "Where is it in the constitution that we gave away our bodies to the govern- ment," Fieger said. Fieger said he was surprised at the opposition he has faced on the issue, saying he couldn't believe "religious radicals could be against ... mentally competent adults making the decision to die. "Little did I know that the whole organize! world would be against me." Fieger said. Englkr spokesperson John Truscott said the governor's opposi- tion to assisted suicide has not been a major issue during campaigning so far. He said most people have already made up their minds on assisted sui- cide, and thpy w ill have their voices heard on election day. 1 "We do not want to be a haven for people who Niant to come and die," Truscott said. Candidates fr other state offices are split on the proposal. Sen. Alma Wheeler Smith :D-Salem iwp.) sup- ports the initiativealthough she says she stll has some concerns about its word- ng. "We know that if we are seriou concerned, we can amend the proposa. with a two-thirds vote," Smith said. "With the qualifers in the proposal, we: have covered niost of the potential problems." Rep. Liz Briter (D-Ann Arbor) is also in support of the Merion's Friends language, Republican can- didate Julie Knight prefers the law already on the books. She said legalizing assisted suicide wou i open up a lot of problems for phyW cians and patients. "If a person wans to commit sui- cide, they certainly don't need a physi- cian," Knight said. "I heir job is to pro- long life." DAILY. 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