Dr Ana Gomes speaks out against New Jersey Death with Dignity Act, nicknamed the suicide bill
Not everyone is supportive of New Jersey’s Death with Dignity Act, proclaiming it as a ‘slippery slope’ to abuse by physicians and a reckless disregard for human life. One Jersey physician, Dr Ana Gomes, a family practitioner from Philipsburg, took to Life News to pen an opposition.
“The New Jersey Death with Dignity Act (A3328/S2259) has little to do with discussing end-of-life care with our doctor, as those who are pushing to legalize assisted suicide would lead us to believe,” Gomes begins.
She continues by warning the ease of prescribing lethal medications which would be enabled by the bill.
“The proposed physician assisted suicide legislation stipulates that doctors may prescribe lethal doses of drugs to patients who have less than six months to live. While we make the prognoses as best we can, using the most advanced technology, a prognosis is still just a highly informed guess.”
Gomes speaks out against involvement of politicians and adding more complexity to health care.
“Discussing with a patient a potentially terminal prognosis is always difficult, and the decisions that must be made are varied and complex. The last thing patients need is state-sanctioned pressure that implicitly informs them they are no longer of value. Rather, effective management tools such as hospice and better palliative care can offer real options that don’t carry hidden threats.”
She even says plainly – “The bill is dangerous.”
“once the lethal dose is prescribed, there is no requirement for medical oversight or psychological screening to eliminate the possibility that a patient is acting out of depression or dementia. The administration of the drugs is left to the patient or possibly a family member or friend, leaving the door wide open for abuse.”
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