…nd Kathleen Foley, please read Physician-Assisted Suicide in Oregon: A Medical Perspective.[3] The focus of the discussion below is the Oregon Public Health Division data.[4] These reports are based on forms filed with the state by the physicians who prescribe lethal doses and the pharmacies that dispense the drugs. As the early state reports admitted: “As best we could determine, all participating physicians complied with the provisions of the Ac…

…There is no requirement that the doctor consider the likely impact of medical treatment in terms of survival. Unfortunately, while terminal predictions of some conditions, such as some cancers, are fairly well established, this is far less true six months out, as the bill provides, rather than one or two months before death, and is even less true for other diseases. In addition, it should be noted that the attending physician who determines termi…

…e at least three months of toilet paper. That seems to be the sort of mythical answer to this virus. But I just want to introduce our guest who really knows a lot about disability, about wrapping the healthcare around assisted suicide. And that’s Diane Coleman. She is the president and CEO of Not Dead Yet, a national disability rights organization. Welcome, Diane. Diane Coleman: Hi, Bob. Nice to talk with you. Bob Kafka: Yeah. Diane, I want to sta…

…About six years ago, I went into respiratory failure and I now use what is called a non-invasive ventilator about 22 hours a day. If I did not use this support, I would go into respiratory failure and die in a fairly short time. Throughout my adult life, I have worked full time, first as an attorney and then directing nonprofit disability related organizations. Since 2012, working from home, I have continued to run Not Dead Yet, which has three st…