The issue of assisting people to die at the end of their lives will always be controversial. According to the hemlock society euthanasia offers some control and dignity to those who are suffering at the end of their lives. This organization was started many years ago in a garage in California.
Derek Humphrey, its founder, had helped his wife to die. He chose the name as Socrates had used a tincture of this plant to end his life with dignity. Today, many of those in favor of this concept are careful to talk about aid in dying rather than using the term suicide with its negative connotations.
The organization adopted a multi-pronged approach. An important aspect of their activities was to try and change laws and to do this they became involved in the political arena. However, this proved to be a very slow process. Through the years, more and more attention was attracted to this issue. Jack Kervorkian and his machine, the Mercitron attracted attention worldwide. He eventually crossed the line and videotaped himself giving an ALS patient a lethal injection. The tape was aired on 60 minutes and he was eventually charged with second-degree murder.
Another way that more people were forced to think about the issue was through the publication of many books written by Derek Humphrey. Pamphlets, audio and video tapes were also used to educate people. A book called Final Exit made it onto the New York Times bestseller list. The first account of a physician assisting a patient with her death, was published in the New England Journal in 1991. Dr Timothy Quill described how he had given his terminally ill patient, Diane, barbiturates and told her how much she needed to take.
Several countries such as Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and more recently, Canada allow physician-assisted death for terminally ill patients. In America, a couple of other states have followed Oregon in passing right-to-die laws but patients must administer their own medications.
The struggle to have physician-assisted death legalized lead to research into non-medical ways to achieve a peaceful death. One of the most popular methods was the use of helium gas, made available in small kits. Recently, in 2015 Canada has passed a law legalizing physician-assisted death, following in the footsteps of Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
The original organization held many national conferences over the years, began a Patient Advocacy Program and provided much information in the form of pamphlets, books, video and audio tapes. Its quarterly magazine has become the largest of this type of publication in the Western Hemisphere. The national organization does not exist any more, although local chapters do still bear the name. It evolved into End-of-Life Choices and the organization is now called Compassion and Choices.
This organization continues to work towards making dying an open and legitimate action. They believe in increasing the control of the patient and preventing unwanted intervention at the end of life. They continue to work towards having further legislation passed and ensuring that people have access to all the options to aid them in dying available to them.
Derek Humphrey, its founder, had helped his wife to die. He chose the name as Socrates had used a tincture of this plant to end his life with dignity. Today, many of those in favor of this concept are careful to talk about aid in dying rather than using the term suicide with its negative connotations.
The organization adopted a multi-pronged approach. An important aspect of their activities was to try and change laws and to do this they became involved in the political arena. However, this proved to be a very slow process. Through the years, more and more attention was attracted to this issue. Jack Kervorkian and his machine, the Mercitron attracted attention worldwide. He eventually crossed the line and videotaped himself giving an ALS patient a lethal injection. The tape was aired on 60 minutes and he was eventually charged with second-degree murder.
Another way that more people were forced to think about the issue was through the publication of many books written by Derek Humphrey. Pamphlets, audio and video tapes were also used to educate people. A book called Final Exit made it onto the New York Times bestseller list. The first account of a physician assisting a patient with her death, was published in the New England Journal in 1991. Dr Timothy Quill described how he had given his terminally ill patient, Diane, barbiturates and told her how much she needed to take.
Several countries such as Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and more recently, Canada allow physician-assisted death for terminally ill patients. In America, a couple of other states have followed Oregon in passing right-to-die laws but patients must administer their own medications.
The struggle to have physician-assisted death legalized lead to research into non-medical ways to achieve a peaceful death. One of the most popular methods was the use of helium gas, made available in small kits. Recently, in 2015 Canada has passed a law legalizing physician-assisted death, following in the footsteps of Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
The original organization held many national conferences over the years, began a Patient Advocacy Program and provided much information in the form of pamphlets, books, video and audio tapes. Its quarterly magazine has become the largest of this type of publication in the Western Hemisphere. The national organization does not exist any more, although local chapters do still bear the name. It evolved into End-of-Life Choices and the organization is now called Compassion and Choices.
This organization continues to work towards making dying an open and legitimate action. They believe in increasing the control of the patient and preventing unwanted intervention at the end of life. They continue to work towards having further legislation passed and ensuring that people have access to all the options to aid them in dying available to them.
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You can visit fenregistration.org for more helpful information about The Hemlock Society Euthanasia And Aid In Dying.
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