All posts by Stephen Drake

Former “Medical Director” of Final Exit Network Profiled in Wash. Post, Live Chat Monday 2:00 pm ET

assisted suicide, fanaticism, final exit network, media, Our News & Commentary Blog, suicide, vigilantes, zealotry

Readers of this blog are familiar with the Final Exit Network (FEN), the assisted suicide vigilante cult that has gotten into legal trouble in two states over the roles members of FEN played in facilitating the suicides of a man in Georgia and a woman in Arizona. The common denominator in both cases is the … Continue reading Former “Medical Director” of Final Exit Network Profiled in Wash. Post, Live Chat Monday 2:00 pm ET →

Georgia: Response Letters to op-ed by Final Exit Network (FEN) president Wendell Stephenson

Concrete Change, Eleanor Smith, final exit network, Georgia, Georgia Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, hospice, Our News & Commentary Blog, palliative care

On January 7, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution published an op-ed by Wendell Stephenson, current president of the Final Exit Network (FEN).  “Ensuring death with dignity” is no longer freely available at the AJC site, but the same essay was published in December last year in the Metrowest Daily News and can still be read here. It’s … Continue reading Georgia: Response Letters to op-ed by Final Exit Network (FEN) president Wendell Stephenson →

Philadelphia: Young Girl Being Denied Transplant Because Her “Retardation” Doesn’t Make Her “Worthy”

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, death through denial, medical bigotry, medical decisionmaking, medical discrimination, organ donation, organ transplants, Our News & Commentary Blog

Recently, Diane Coleman wrote about new proposals to increase the pool of donor organs, and that have particularly disturbing ramifications in terms of the care and treatment of newly disabled individuals.  We already know that organ transplant teams are more than willing to obtain organs from individuals with long-term disabilities, as highlighted by the case … Continue reading Philadelphia: Young Girl Being Denied Transplant Because Her “Retardation” Doesn’t Make Her “Worthy” →

NDY President Diane Coleman’s Letter to National Post re: Poll on Assisted Suicide

assisted suicide, Canada, diane coleman, letters to the editor, media coverage, Our News & Commentary Blog, polls, reality check

Last week, the National Post reported on a recent poll of Canadians in which 67% of the poll respondents indicated their support for legalized assisted suicide for people who are “terminally ill.”  NDY President Diane Coleman fired off a letter to the Post and it was published on Tuesday, January 6.  The link for the … Continue reading NDY President Diane Coleman’s Letter to National Post re: Poll on Assisted Suicide →

Organ Procurement Guidelines, Health Care Decisions and People With Disabilities

bioethics, dcd, diane coleman, donation after cardiac death, national catholic partnership on disability, organ donation, Our News & Commentary Blog, public comment, Stephen Mikochik, united network for organ sharing

Less than two months ago, I was introduced to a new policy arena about which I still have much to learn:  the organ procurement and organ sharing system.  In the U.S., the federal Department of Health and Human Services contracts with the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN)/United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) to manage … Continue reading Organ Procurement Guidelines, Health Care Decisions and People With Disabilities →