Category Archives: life-sustaining treatment

Organizational Letter to George Clooney On Movie Romanticizing Assisted Suicide of Disabled

July 22, 2026ableism, abuse, Access Living, action alert, ADAPT, advocacy, ageism, assisted suicide, Associated Press, better dead than disabled, bioethics, dementia, disability, disability rights, Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund, Disabled People Fight Back, discrimination, duty to die, elder abuse, end-of-life care, eugenics, euthanasia, exploitation, life-sustaining treatment, living well, long term care, long term services and supports, Matt Valliere, moral reasoning, Our News & Commentary Blog, palliative care, Patients Rights Action Fund, press release, Progressives Against Medical Assisted SuicideIan McIntosh

Dear Mr. Clooney, We, the undersigned national disability rights organizations, urge you to use your platform to advance disability justice and to defend the rights of people with disabilities against the inherent discrimination and dangers of assisted suicide legislation. For the reasons set forth below, we urge you to reconsider the impact of your involvement. … Continue reading Organizational Letter to George Clooney On Movie Romanticizing Assisted Suicide of Disabled →

Lisa Blumberg: A Classic Case of Lethal Denial of Medical Treatment Based On Disability

September 16, 2024ableism, access to health care, death by starvation and dehydration, developmental disabilities, DNR, futility, life-sustaining treatment, Lisa Blumberg, medical neglect, Our News & Commentary Blogdenial of medical care, futility, involuntary DNR, Lisa Blumberg, Simon Crosier, unilateral treatment withdrawalDiane Coleman

Trisomy 18 is a genetic condition that usually results in physical health problems and cognitive limitations. Life expectancy is currently shorter than typical but people can live into their 20’s and 30’s and one American with trisomy 18, Megan Hayes, celebrated her fortieth birthday with fanfare. Unfortunately, it seems that this information has been slow … Continue reading Lisa Blumberg: A Classic Case of Lethal Denial of Medical Treatment Based On Disability →

Lisa Blumberg: Brain Injured Are Denied Life Sustaining Treatment Too Early

July 22, 2024American Academy of Neurology, better dead than disabled, brain injury, health disparities, life-sustaining treatment, Lisa Blumberg, medical discrimination, New York Times, Our News & Commentary Blog, pvs, quality of life judgments, rush to judgment, treatment withdrawalbetter dead than disabled, brain injury, denial of medical care, medical discrimination, Rush to Judgment, treatment withdrawal, vegetative stateDiane Coleman

A 2007 Not Dead Yet blog described “rush to judgment” cases where people who had sustained a major brain injury were denied life sustaining treatment before appropriate time had passed to determine if they could become conscious. It referred to an article co-authored by Dr. Joel Frader, now a member of the Northwestern Center … Continue reading Lisa Blumberg: Brain Injured Are Denied Life Sustaining Treatment Too Early →

NDY Comment on Comment on Proposed Texas Futility Regulations

July 12, 2024ableism, advance directives, better dead than disabled, ethics committee, futile care, futility, Health care decision-making, life-sustaining treatment, Lisa Blumberg, Our News & Commentary Blog, public comment, quality of life judgmentsethics committee, futile care, futility, medical discrimination, public comment, Texas Advance Directive ActDiane Coleman

July 12, 2024 HHS Office of Inspector General – Chief Counsel Division P.O. Box 85200 Austin, Texas 78708 Email: IG_Rules_Comments_Inbox@hhsc.state.tx.us RE: Proposed Regulations published in the June 14, 2024 Texas Register Dear Chief Counsel: Not Dead Yet is a national disability rights organization focused on combatting disability- based healthcare discrimination, particularly in the context of … Continue reading NDY Comment on Comment on Proposed Texas Futility Regulations →

Lisa Blumberg: The 504 Regulations Now Explicitly Prohibit Healthcare Discrimination Based on Disability

July 2, 2024better dead than disabled, Health care decision-making, health disparities, HHS, informed consent, life-sustaining treatment, Lisa Blumberg, medical discrimination, Our News & Commentary Blog, treatment withdrawalHealth care decision making, healthcare discrimination, healthcare disparities, Section 504Diane Coleman

The updating of the 504 Regulations by the Department of Health and Human Services under the Biden-Harris administration is historic. Various provisions included in the amendment interact and work together to promote equal access to healthcare for persons with disabilities. Not Dead Yet’s response to the Department’s request for public comment when the updates were … Continue reading Lisa Blumberg: The 504 Regulations Now Explicitly Prohibit Healthcare Discrimination Based on Disability →