Bill's intent is to end the confusion of physician-assisted suicide

Letter to the Editor,

We are 112 Montana physicians who have joined together to support HB 505.

House Bill 505 is a short and simple bill that will clarify the law of physician-assisted suicide by clearly providing that physician-assisted suicide is not legal in Montana. We support HB 505 because it will protect patients and our profession. See our ad with all of our names, cities and towns now running in many Montana papers.

HB 505 will be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 26.  Call 406 444 4800 and tell the Committee to vote “Yes” on HB 505.

Physician-assisted suicide means a physician prescribes a lethal medication to another person to commit suicide. This practice is open to abuse and error.

“Physician-assisted suicide is fundamentally incompatible with the physicians’ role as healer, would be difficult or impossible to control and would pose serious societal risks.” 

We support HB 505 because it will protect the Jeanette Halls of the world. About 12 years ago, she had cancer and decided to “do” Oregon’s assisted-suicide law. Her doctor talked her out of it and convinced her to be treated instead. Today, she is “thrilled to be alive.” Her photo is in our ad. She states: “If my doctor had believed in assisted suicide, I would be dead.”

We Support HB 505 because it will protect our patients.

HB 505 is a normal law (only two states allow doctors to assist suicides). HB 505 does not “send doctors to prison” or prevent doctors from providing the full range of end-of-life care including palliative care and treatment withdrawal. If you read the bill, this is clear.

To read the ad, go here: http://maasdocuments.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/doctorshb505_

ad_8-22x17_4color319.pdf

To read HB 505 go to http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2013/billpdf/HB0505.

— Paul Gorsuch

112 Montana Physicians Who Support HB 505