NDY Staff Raise Disability and Minority Community Issues in Boston Training

May 8, 2017"death with dignity", aid in dying, Anita Cameron, assisted suicide, john kelly, Massachusetts, Our News & Commentary Blog, Patients Rights Action FundAnita Cameron, assisted suicide, John Kelly, Massachusetts, Patients Rights Action FundDiane Coleman

…nger of being coerced into assisted suicide because our lives are more likely to be devalued, especially if we are living in poverty and denied quality healthcare and palliative care. Although there are difficulties in organizing because of perceptions, people of color must reach out to our states’ Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian caucuses and members of the legislature to talk about the dangers of doctor assisted suicide to our communities…

Lisa Blumberg: What Principles Should Govern Charlie Gard’s Case?

July 26, 2017bioethics, court cases, ethics, futility, Health care decision-making, Lisa Blumberg, Our News & Commentary Blog, Peter Singer, surrogate decision making, treatment withdrawal, United Kingdombioethics, Health care decision making, Lisa BlumbergDiane Coleman

…d does not acknowledge other perspectives. He hews to the formula – no likely benefit + likely harm = no treatment – without recognition that various ethicists have defined the terms benefit, harm and treatment in hugely different ways. Then at the end of the piece, he conflates medical ethical theory with ethical standards and talks about “enforcing” them. Have ethicists been elevated to an unelected, shadow legislature? Can medical ethics theory…

My Letter To the Victorian Parliament

November 24, 2017"death with dignity", "special", aid in dying, assisted suicide, Australia, euthanasia, Our News & Commentary Blogaid in dying, assisted suicide, Australia, euthanasiaDiane Coleman

…e or job loss. Where assisted suicide is legal, I would be treated completely differently due to my condition. This is just one example of how slippery the definition of terminal really is. Under assisted suicide policies, many people with disabilities would qualify for assisted suicide and be denied the suicide prevention and other supports that nondisabled people could take for granted if they expressed a desire to die. Assisted suicide laws are…

Not Dead Yet Testimony Opposing Hawaii Assisted Suicide Bill HB 2739

February 27, 2018"death with dignity", aid in dying, assisted suicide, dredf, elder abuse, hawaii, Our News & Commentary Blog, Testimonyaid in dying, assisted suicide, Hawaii, TestimonyDiane Coleman

…essionals in a society where an estimated one in ten elders is abused, mostly by family and caregivers. (Lachs, et al., New England Journal of Medicine, Elder Abuse.[8]) The witnesses on the request form[9] need not know the person either. One of them may be an heir (which would not be acceptable for witnessing a property will), but neither of them need actually know the person (the form says that if the person is not known to the witness, then th…