Physician-Assisted Suicide Archives – Christian Medical & Dental Associations® (CMDA)

Suffering and Facing Death

No fewer than 20 states introduced assisted suicide bills so far in 2024, and polling suggests the majority of Americans are sympathetic to the cause. According to the stats, this must mean a number of supporters would at least call themselves Christians, which strikes me as a sad development considering the rich tradition of Christian thought regarding how we should live in our final days.

The Situation in Canada

Dr. Margaret Cottle talks about the current situation in Canada with assisted suicide and medical termination on this week’s CMDA Matters podcast

Professional, Not Provider—Please!

“You have to prescribe some penicillin for my sore throat.”
“When I feel like this my real doctor always gives me…”
Phrases like these were extremely common in my daily practice when I served as a physician at a university student health center early in my career. Those words were often a result of simple naivete, but consumer-driven patient attitudes have intensified dramatically through the years. Here in Canada, where euthanasia/assisted suicide is legal, I currently face more serious and sinister demands in my palliative care practice.

Bridging the Gap

Dr. Brick Lantz joins Dr. Mike Chupp and Rev. Bert Jones on this week’s CMDA Matters podcast to discuss Bridging the Gap, a new small group study curriculum that focuses on bridging the gap between healthcare and the church.

Learning from History: The Case Against Assisted Suicide

It has been said that the best way to learn about our future is to look to our past. A historical reflection on the actions of those who have gone before us can both guide us toward monumental successes and deter us from repeating colossal mistakes. A glance to history may reveal progressive social and technological advancements, yet it also affirms that the basic principles of a man’s heart remain unchanged. As Proverbs reminds us, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death” (Proverbs 14:12).

Group letter to Alex M. Azar II, Secretary, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

As you know, several U.S. jurisdictions have passed legislation giving doctors immunity from civil and criminal liability for assisting the suicide of persons diagnosed with terminal disabilities. Tragically, in these jurisdictions and for this class of persons, and for them alone, suicides are now facilitated by physicians, usually with no psychological assessment or other medical treatment, typically with no consultation with family and loved ones, and in every case without the interventions and protections provided as a matter of course to all other suicidal persons.

American Medical Association Meeting: June 2019

Your assistance is critically needed on two items at the American Medical Association meeting. One, the AMA will vote at its June 8-12 annual meeting in Chicago on assisted suicide, specifically to affirm the slightly revised Council on Ethics and Judicial Affairs (CEJA) report. Two, New Mexico has submitted Resolution 020 (A-19) for Engaged Neutrality as it refers to the Physician-Assisted Suicide position statement in an effort to speak against the CEJA report.