Citation

Klyman CM. Am. J. Forensic Psychiatr. 1999; 20(4): 79-92.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, American College of Forensic Psychiatry, Publisher R. Shlensky)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The Michigan Psychiatric Association (MPS) and its 1100 members have agonized over physician-assisted suicide. It remains a highly personal matter, difficult to deal with through a representational democratic legislature or judicial process. A direct referendum - one person, one vote with majority rule - seems to be where we are headed, despite MPS's wish to have this not be a legislated matter but rather a decision between patient and doctor. Michigan's first attempted ballot directive failed in November, 1998. Subsequently, Dr. Jack Kevorkian was convicted of second-degree murder for giving a lethal injection to a patient in the end stages of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The ban against assisted suicide awaits challenge.

Language: en

Keywords

court; disability; ethics; euthanasia; human; law; living will; medical decision making; organization; physician; review; terminal disease