[Dated July 27, 2024] Yesterday, Lord Falconer of Thoroton (Charlie Falconer) introduced a Private Members Bill (there’s an explanation of what they are here) to make it legal to assist people who are terminally ill to die. As a group of disability rights campaigners, Not Dead Yet UK are deeply concerned about this course of […]
Liz Carr’s documentary, “Better Off Dead?”, continues making a difference, serving as a wake up call about the dangers assisted suicide laws pose for people with disabilities. A Boston Globe columnist noted this week: The most chilling detail in “Better Off Dead?” a new BBC documentary by the English actress and comedian Liz Carr, is […]
April 15, 2024 To: California Senate Health and Judiciary Committees From: Diane Coleman, JD, President & CEO, Not Dead Yet Re: Letter Opposing Proposed SB 1196 Amendments to the End of Life Option Act This letter is filed on behalf of Not Dead Yet, a national disability organization headquartered in New York with members in […]
If the title to this post sounds familiar, it should. Not for the first time, a “Death With Dignity” bill is being considered by the legislature. On the face of it, it’s still a bill that would restrict “eligibility” for getting lethal doses in order to commit suicide to people with “terminal conditions.” But when […]
A recent (I don’t think it’s quite the latest) issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) features a “case vignette” of a terminally ill man who requests an assisted suicide prescription from his doctor. Here’s part of that vignette: John Wallace is a 72-year-old man with metastatic pancreatic cancer. At time of diagnosis, […]
Back on April 1, 1998 I sent out an obviously bogus press release from an email address I reserved for just such purposes. It was an attempt at some (I thought) outrageous satire, taking pro-assisted suicide arguments based on “quality of life” to one of their many logical conclusions. What would happen, I wondered, when […]
You learn something new every day. Before today, I was totally unaware of the multimedia website Takepart.com, which describes itself this way: TakePart is a digital media company with a singular mission: To make participating in positive change easy, rewarding, and part of everyday life. The articles, videos and actions we create build awareness of […]
Some people might have figured that it was possible that Rep. Steve Vaillancourt might have been simply blowing off steam when he was quoted in the March 1st Union Leader as having said: “If it were up to me, I would say anybody should be able to end their life,” he said snapping his fingers, […]
