SB 579 Creates Same-day Suicide Request Scheme

Senate Bill 579 is the second physician-assisted suicide expansion bill to have a hearing in the Oregon Legislature. It has been scheduled for a public hearing in Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday, April 5 at 9:30 a.m. in Hearing Room C. Oregon Right to life opposes this bill. SB 579 creates a dangerous loophole in […]

21 years of doctors ending lives

The Oregon Health Authority recently released the latest statistics on physician-assisted suicide in the state. In 2018, 249 people received lethal prescriptions. Of that group, 168 people died from ingesting the lethal medication (up from 158 in 2017). Since the law was passed in 1997, doctors have written 2,217 lethal prescriptions; 1,459 people have died […]

Three Culture of Death Tipping Points

Pope John Paul II once famously described Western society as a “culture of death.” But what does that term mean? It refers to a civilization that endorses lethal omissions and even outright killing by doctors to alleviate suffering or resolve life crises. “Culture of death” is most often applied in the context of euthanasia, assisted […]

Just Six States have Legalized Assisted Suicide Despite Massive Push

In 2007, there were 26 states that were challenged by assisted suicide campaigns and all 26 states rejected it. This year, 25 states have had assisted suicide bills in their legislatures and, as of now, only Hawaii has passed the bill. Yet, the theme that the media is portraying is that the assisted suicide lobby […]

Oregon Assisted Suicide Numbers Up, Safeguards Not Working

The Oregon Health Authority’s (OHA) 2017 report on physician-assisted suicide reveals the annual increase in physician-assisted suicide deaths has accelerated in recent years. In the last four years, death numbers have doubled from 73 in 2013 to 143 in 2017 (although 218 lethal prescriptions were actually written last year). Richard Doerflinger, an associate scholar with […]