2 replies to this topic

[thefirstimmortal]

X-Message-Number: 3248
Date: Tue, 11 Oct 1994 23:37:12 -0400 (EDT)
From: Charles Platt <cp@panix.com>
Subject: CRYONICS:Right to Die

2. We see cryopreservation as a way of (we hope) perpetuating life, but
most orthodox scientists and doctors believe that it has a zero chance of
achieving its objectives. We believe that all the evidence is on our side,
but we also see that it is going to take a massive shift of assumptions
and values before our outlook on death will be widely accepted. For the
time being, then, the officials we deal with will continue to see cryonics
as a way of killing people, while we see it as a way of potentially saving
lives, and there is usually no way to bridge this misunderstanding.

3. Suicide, assisted or otherwise, is almost always cause for an autopsy,
which in turn means a) the patient will usually be held, unmedicated, for
24 hours or longer, at a temperature significantly above freezing, and b)
the autopsy will usually include dissection of the brain. The medical
examiner has pretty much absolute authority to decide whether to perform
an autopsy. After all, "dead" people have no human rights. The only way to
choose to terminate your life without providing grounds for autopsy is by
refusing food and fluids, and several cryonicists (suffering terminal
illnesses) have taken this path. It is a very painful and distressing
process and does not lead to an optimum cryopreservation.

4. Since cryonics is not a recognized medical procedure, it is not legal
to "premedicate" a patient (i.e. administer appropriate drugs to optimize
a cryopreservation) before the patient is declared legally dead.

6. The accepted medical definition of death has changed over time, but is
still quite different from a cryonicist's definition of death. Legal
death is pronounced when there is no evidence of pulse, respiration, or
brain activity (I am oversimplifying, here). To a cryonicist, a patient
is not necessarily permanently dead if the brain structure and cell
states have been preserved, or have not yet deteriorated. Cold-water
drowning victims are frequently resuscitated after being "dead" by normal
definitions for two or three hours. Still, the gap continues to exist
between what seems obvious to us, and what seems appropriate in the
world of orthodox medicine.

[thefirstimmortal]

X-Message-Number: 3394
Date: Fri, 11 Nov 94 19:48 EST
From: David Brandt-Erichsen <0005494743@mcimail.com>
Subject: CRYONICS Right to die

OREGON RIGHT TO DIE INITIATIVE PASSES

The right to die issue is very important to cryonicists, who are
especially concerned about obtaining control over the
circumstances of their legal deaths. The Oregon initiative is a
small but important step in the right direction. I don't yet
have a copy of the actual text, but according to the Associated
Press:

"Measure 16 will allow a patient with six months to
live to ask a doctor to prescribe a lethal dose of
drugs to end unbearable suffering. At least two
doctors must first agree that the patient's condition
is terminal. The patient must request the drugs at
least twice, then a third time in writing. It's up to
the patient to take the final step and administer the
drugs."

People choosing this option must be legally competent, must be
physically able to take the prescription themselves (presumably
either orally or by injection), and must be a resident of Oregon.
I don't know what the residency requirements are. The measure
takes effect next month and will no doubt be subjected to court
challenges. I will post the text when I get it.

[thefirstimmortal]

X-Message-Number: 3398
From: Ralph Merkle <merkle@parc.xerox.com>
Subject: CRYONICS Oregon's Physician Assisted Suicide Passes
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 07:13:01 PST

>From the Wall Street Journal, Thursday November 10, 1994, page A7:

Voters Break New Ground With Oregon's Suicide Law

Election Day '94 marked a turning point in the right-to-die movement,
with Oregon voters narrowly accepting the nation's first law legalizing
physician-assisted suicide.

......

The Oregon suicide measure is expected to gain international attention,
provided its passage is confirmed by the counting of 265,000 absentee
ballots over the next couple of days. The measure was leading 52% to
48%, with 99% of precincts reporting -- a margin of close to 40,000
votes -- and neither supporters nor opponents expected the outcome to
change. While other states are moving to ban assisted suicides like
those involving Jack Kevorkian of Michigan, Oregon's measure goes in
the opposite direction and would make it the first place in the world
to legalize doctor-assisted suicides. The Netherlands now tolerates
euthanasia, though it is still technically illegal.

The measure would allow doctors to prescribe suicide pills to a
terminally ill patient with less than six months to live, who gets a
second medical opinion, makes three requests and doesn't appear to
be suffering from a mental disorder. Polls show the American public
is deeply split over the issue. While supporters argue that people
deserve more control over their deaths, assisted suicide is opposed
by the Roman Catholic Church and other religious groups, the American
Medical Association and some ethicists who argue it could lead to
wider use of euthanasia.

Derek Humphrey, founder of the Hemlock Society, which favors assisted
suicides, said he doesn't expect a surge of suicides once the law
goes into effect in 30 days -- provided opponents don't find a way
to block it. He estimated "probably a handful in the whole state,
if that," will be interested in using the law anytime soon. But he
said its passage increases chances that other states and legislators
will try to adopt similar measures.