Category Archives: Our News & Commentary Blog

NDY & ADAPT Submit Public Comments To Virginia Commission Opposing Potential Assisted Suicide Legislation

October 14, 2018"death with dignity", ADAPT, aid in dying, assisted suicide, Our News & Commentary Blog, public comment, Virginiaaid in dying, assisted suicide, death with dignity, public comment, VirginiaDiane Coleman

The Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care has requested public comments by close of business on October 15 concerning several policy issues, including one option that would recommend the introduction of assisted suicide legislation. It’s called Policy Option 2, worded as follows: Introduce legislation to amend the Code of Virginia to include a Medical Aid-in-Dying statute … Continue reading NDY & ADAPT Submit Public Comments To Virginia Commission Opposing Potential Assisted Suicide Legislation →

Neurology Guidelines Push Back Against “Rush To Judgment” In Brain Injury Cases

October 8, 2018American Academy of Neurology, brain injury, coma, consciousness, life-ending decisions, life-sustaining treatment, Our News & Commentary Blog, vegetative stateAmerican Academy of Neurology, brain injury, Kingston Holmes, PVSDiane Coleman

On September 16, ABC News in Oakland, California reported on a hospital’s threat to remove breathing support from six-month-old Kingston Holmes. The infant needed a ventilator due to a brain injury following a cardiac arrest at home. The first thing I ask when I read a story like that is when did the cardiac arrest … Continue reading Neurology Guidelines Push Back Against “Rush To Judgment” In Brain Injury Cases →

Anita Cameron: The Criminalization of Pain

October 4, 2018aid in dying, Anita Cameron, assisted suicide, Our News & Commentary BlogAnita Cameron, assisted suicide, Chronic pain, Opioid CrisisDiane Coleman

Our country is in the midst of an opioid crisis which has resulted in what I call the criminalization of pain. Many people who depend on opioids and similar medications to manage pain are now finding that their access to them has been limited and they are being subjected by doctors to drug testing and … Continue reading Anita Cameron: The Criminalization of Pain →

Berkshire Eagle Published John Kelly’s Excellent Letter!

September 23, 2018"death with dignity", aid in dying, assisted suicide, john kelly, letters to the editor, Massachusetts, Our News & Commentary Blogaid in dying, assisted suicide, John Kelly, Letter to the Editor, MassachusettsDiane Coleman

Letter: Case for ‘death with dignity’ collapses under scrutiny Posted Wednesday, September 19, 2018 5:21 pm To the editor: I write to respond to the oped by John Berkowitz and three Western Massachusetts legislators in support of assisted suicide bill H.1994 (Eagle, Sept. 11). Unsolvable problems with assisted suicide include the fact that terminal diagnoses are often wrong. … Continue reading Berkshire Eagle Published John Kelly’s Excellent Letter! →

Lisa Blumberg: The Anonymous Three: Child Euthanasia in Belgium and Elsewhere

September 19, 2018Belgium, Conversation Project, euthanasia, Lisa Blumberg, Our News & Commentary BlogBelgium, euthanasia, Lisa BlumbergDiane Coleman

The Belgium Federal Commission on the Control and Evaluation of Euthanasia in its most recent report of Belgium euthanasia statistics stated that between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2017, three children died by lethal injection under the country’s euthanasia law. They were a nine year old with a brain tumor, an eleven year old … Continue reading Lisa Blumberg: The Anonymous Three: Child Euthanasia in Belgium and Elsewhere →