In opening remarks, Rollins said, "Suffering is just a word until it happens to you or someone you love. . . . Assisted dying should be an option of last resort, after all other options have been exhausted." She noted, "For every one of the 15 Oregonians who used physician-assisted dying, thousands more have peace of mind just knowing that it is safe and legal."
Barbara Coombs Lee said that the Oregon experience indicates that people want both the option of physician-assisted death and better palliative care. Lee said, "The possibility of escape gives you the freedom to think of other things."
Several speakers claimed that Kevorkian has had one positive effect by turning public attention to problems in end-of-life care. However, in doing so, the media has come to focus on physician-assisted dying to the exclusion of other issues.
Angell, whose own father shot himself rather than face a lingering death from prostate cancer, said, "The worst thing about Kevorkian is that he is acting alone and in an area in which he is not qualified to practice."
No matter where individuals stand on physician-assisted suicide, most agree that the real solution is not legalized physician assisted dying, but improved end-of-life care and broad access to such care. By effectively treating pain, ameliorating suffering, and addressing patient and family fears, the appeal of physician-assisted dying may decrease - and true options might exist.
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