CO_Ethicist

What's your best, succinct response to slippery slope concerns? I.e., what would prevent the gradual evolution of MD-assistance into MD-delivery, then voluntary euthanasia and eventually involuntary 'euthanasia'?

I expect this AMA is long over, but I just got back to see your reply and wanted to offer an FYI. A number of studies over more than 20 years have demonstrated that morphine used for pain relief in terminal patients does NOT shorten life - in fact, it generally extends it a bit. I'd be happy to supply references. You might be thinking about palliative terminal sedation, which presumably could shorten life (though that might not be true either: http://annonc.oxfordjournals.org/content/20/7/1163.abstract), but PTS is not accomplished with morphine.

Seem to be a lull, so I'll ask another... physicians and their professional societies often oppose physician-assisted dying because it is said to be contrary to the physician's basic role as a healer. The Hippocratic Oath seems to reject it explicitly, for example. Why do you think they are wrong? Or, to be more blunt, aill doctors who kill be as trustworthy as doctors who forswear killing?

Seems to be a lull, so I'll ask another... physicians and their professional societies often oppose physician-assisted dying because it is said to be contrary to the physician's basic role as a healer. The Hippocratic Oath seems to reject it explicitly, for example. Why do you think they are wrong? Or, to be more blunt, will doctors who kill be as trustworthy as doctors who forswear killing?