Media Alert – Looks Like “Dr. Oz” Is Planning Slanted Show on Assisted Suicide

October 18, 2011assisted suicide, barbara coombs lee, Dr. Oz, ira byock, keith ablow, media coverage, media issues, Our News & Commentary Blog, right to dieStephen Drake

…which the producer assured us was forwarded to the person in charge of the online surveys. I suspect that Dr. Oz, if confronted with the sloppiness, would throw some staffperson under the bus. But it’s all under his name and I’m sure he’s made it clear just how much detail they need to bother with – which in this case is not much. The link to the “survey” is here. Please feel free to fill it out and leave comments. Maybe they’ll even read them. Th…

New Study in BMJ Indicates People with Clinical Depression Getting Lethal Prescriptions in Oregon

October 8, 2008assisted suicide, Oregon, Our News & Commentary Blog, policy, reality check, researchStephen Drake

…on to hasten death, according to a news release about the study, published online Oct. 8 by the British Medical Journal. The act does contain several safeguards to ensure patients are competent to make the decision to end their life, including referral to a psychologist or psychiatrist, if there’s concern that a mental illness may be impairing a patient’s judgment. However, depression is often overlooked in mentally ill patients. In 2007, none of…

Maryland: New Factually-Impaired Op-Ed from Final Exit Network – and My Response

June 9, 2010assisted suicide, Compassion & Choices, Conflation and Con jobs, crime and punishment, final exit network, media coverage, op-ed, Our News & Commentary BlogStephen Drake

…that, took some anti-nausea medication, and typed off a “comment” for the online copy of Dincin’s piece. Then I reworked it and submitted it as a “reader comment” aka “letter to the editor.” It was accepted and published online. I am told that it was published on the Opinion page of the print edition of the Sun today (June 9). Here is my response to the latest FEN propaganda piece: As the research analyst for a national disability rights group th…

Please Support Not Dead Yet With a Year-End Donation

December 29, 2010activism, advocacy, assisted suicide, Back Door Euthanasia, donations, Not Dead Yet, Our News & Commentary BlogStephen Drake

…or anything else. Not Dead Yet hasn’t had the cash to issue press releases online, to travel to venues where we can organize and/or educate others or to engage in many forms of advocacy and activism that just can’t be done without cash. While the debate over assisted suicide is often presented as a choice between the right to self determination on the one hand, and a strict, religious based “right to life” on the other, NDY’s analysis takes an ent…

GREAT NEWS: Diane Coleman Transitioning to New Role as CEO of Not Dead Yet in August

July 28, 2011announcement, assisted suicide, center for disability rights, diane coleman, disability rights, discrimination, euthanasia, Not Dead Yet, Our News & Commentary Blog, policyStephen Drake

…fford only one staff member – me – to write NDY’s blog, maintain a general online presence and handle the bulk of NDY-related media work. The complex politics of the assisted suicide issue placed serious limits on its financial resources. NDY’s initial concerns focused on the disability discrimination inherent in a society which labels some suicides as tragedies to be prevented, and others as “death with dignity” to be assisted, while denying peop…