Site Map

 

The Latest ITF Update (May-June, 2010):

• Health care law - New words, same meaning
• Current medical decision-making terms and tools
• Canadian Parliament kills euthanasia & assisted-suicide bill
• OR & WA assisted-suicide reports
• News briefs from home & abroad
• More... View this issue

Contents

About
    This Web Site
    The Task Force
  The Issues
    Euthanasia
    Assisted Suicide
    Advance Directives
  By Location
    United States
    International
  Resources
     FAQs
    Assisted Suicide
    Resource Materials
    Laws
    News Archive
    ITF Update
    Definitions
  Site Map
  Contact 

 Watch Rita Marker, director
of the ITF, on Fox News.
Aired: February 27, 2009

   

You Have the Right to Protect Yourself & Those You Love...

If you or someone you love can't make medical decisions either temporarily or permanently, who will make those decisions?  The only way to make sure that your decisions are honored is to name someone  you know and trust -- a person who shares your views and values and who can be assertive on your behalf --  in a carefully written durable power of attorney for health care.  The ITF will provide such a document for you without charge.  It's called the Protective Medical Decisions Document.

You Have the Right to Needed Pain Control ...

What can be done when you're in pain?  Where can you turn?  How do you find help? 
The ITF can provide you with the tools you need to get the help you need.  The book, Power over Pain: How to Get the Pain Control You Need explains how to find a doctor, how to describe your pain, and much, much more.

Recent Developments...

"Man Wants to Be Killed for His Organs: Organ Non Profit Seems to Applaud"
( Secondhand Smoke) - - July 25, 2010 )
A man who has ALS wants to be killed for his organs. And the representative of a non-profit organization, dedicated to the recovery of organs and tissue for transplant, seems to support the idea. Linking assisted suicide or euthanasia to organ harvesting is not a new idea. In Belgium, where both euthanasia and assisted suicide are legal, that is already being done. 

HEALTH CARE LAW:
"Welcome to Washington, Dr. Berwick"

( The Leaf Chronicle - - July 18, 2010 )
Dr. Donald Berwick, the new administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. praised the British National Healthcare System (NHS) at its 60th anniversary meeting for implementing a socialized health care system - rather choosing America's plan. But a cash crisis in the NHS leaves patients lying on operating tables.

More on Health Care law and Donald Berwick.

SWITZERLAND: 
Swiss assisted-suicide clinic director says healthy people should be able to receive assisted suicide.

More on Switzerland.

OREGON:
Assisted-suicide clinic announced. 
More on Oregon.

THE NETHERLANDS: 
"Sharp growth in euthanasia deaths"
( DutchNews - - June 16, 2010 )
The number of reported euthanasia deaths in the Netherlands rose 13% last year following an increase of 10% in the previous year. A reason for the increase could be that the taboo surrounding euthanasia is fading in Holland.

BELGIUM: 
"Warning to Britain as almost half of Belgium's euthanasia nurses admit to killing without consent"

( Daily Mail - - June 10, 2010 )
The disturbing revelation raises fear that were assisted suicides allowed in Britain, they could never be properly regulated. It is likely many nurses "under-reported" their involvement.

COMFORT CARE - WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
"Family alleges failure of care at SF hospital"
( KGO TV - San Francisco, CA - June 2, 2010 )
When "comfort care" was authorized, Don Holley was put on a morphine drip and denied all food and water -- even though he appeared to be improving. The St. Mary's Medical Center ethics committee was unavailable to meet for a discussion of his case before his death.

News and Views...

For latest news articles see News Archives.

"Jack Kevorkian Admits to Committing Second Murder on Larry King"
( Wesley J. Smith, Second Hand Smoke - - June 21, 2010 )
Jack Kevorkian was imprisoned for lethally injecting Thomas Youk. It was always thought that Kevorkian only injected Youk. But, according to Kevorkian, he also injected Janet Adkins... Technically, he could be prosecuted for Atkins' homicide.

"Solve the organ shortage with euthanasia, says leading bioethicist"
( BioEdge - - May 10, 2010 )
Oxford professor Julian Savulescu argues that people should be able to request euthanasia and donate their organs at the time of death. He has also suggested that organs be taken from people like Terri Schiavo who have been severely injured. 

"Ashes of 50 Britons dumped in lake"
( The Sunday Times - - May 9, 2010 )
The remains of up to 50 Britons who ended their lives at a controversial Swiss suicide clinic run by Ludwig Minelli have been dumped in a lake, according to a nurse who worked at the organization. 

More News Articles

Important...

Reported PAS Deaths in OR & WA (April 2010)  

Public health, populations and lethal ingestion" 
( Disability and Health Journal - - January , 2010 )
Public health should address institutionalized violations of data integrity and patient vulnerabilities, while rescinding policy supporting the institutionalization of lethal means. More

"Assisted suicide laws create discriminatory double standard" 
( Disability and Health Journal - January , 2010 )
Double standard for who gets suicide prevention and who gets suicide assistance. More

"No, we don't think our doctors are out to get us" 
( Disability and Health Journal - January , 2010 )
Responding to the straw man distortions of disability rights arguments against assisted suicide. More

"Killing us softly" 
( Disability and Health Journal - January, 2010 )
Impact of legalized assisted suicide on people with disabilities and the broader public. More

"Physician-Assisted Suicide in Oregon: A Medical Perspective" 
( Michigan Law Review, Vol. 106 - June 8, 2008 )
While previous articles have examined assisted suicide from legal and ethical perspectives, this article examines the Oregon law from a medical perspective. More

"Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide & Health Care Decisions: Protecting Yourself & Your Family."

    • Table of Contents
    • Part 1: Detailed and extensively documented report about
     the latest in attempts to legalize assisted suicide and
     euthanasia, along with tips for addressing these topics.
    • Part 2: Facts and practical information about advance
     directives including the difference between the Living Will
     and the Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care.

Popular Site Areas

•  Assisted Suicide Laws
•  About the International Task Force
•  Detailed Site Index
•  Frequently Asked Questions
•  Do You Need an Advance Directive?
•  Euthanasia in Holland
•  "Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide & Health Care Decisions"
•  International Task Force Update
•  Assisted Suicide in Oregon
•  Facts about "Artificial Feeding"
•  "Assisted Suicide: The Continuing Debate"
•  "Assisted Suicide & Death with Dignity: Past Present & Future"
 

   

Euthanasia: False Light
 

A look at euthanasia and assisted suicide through the eyes of five people -- three patients, a doctor, and a hospice nurse, all of whom speak from their hearts, not from a script. 15 Minutes View

 

Issues by State:

AK AL AR AZ CA CO CT DC DE FL GA HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MD ME MI MN MO MS MT NC ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VA VI VT WA WI WV WY
 

Support this Site:

To make a tax-deductible donation, using a credit card, call 740-282-3810 or 800-958-5678 between 8:30am and 4:30pm (eastern) or mail your gift to the International Task Force at P.O. Box 760, Steubenville, OH 43952.