Comma here).

According to a study published on bmj.com,
Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act may not be adequately protecting the
25% of terminally ill patients in the State of Oregon who have
depression and then choose physician assisted suicide. The Death with
Dignity Act was passed in Oregon in 1997 and allows physician-assisted
dying for terminally ill patients
There has been, and continues to be, a considerable amount of debate
concerning physician-assisted death. It is possible, argue some, that
potentially treatable psychiatric disorders may influence a patient’s
choice between life and death. Although the Act contains safeguards
that are designed to make sure patients are competent enough to make
life-ending decisions - such as referrals to a psychologist or
psychiatrist - health care professionals often miss depression in
mentally ill patients who may have impaired judgment. None of the 46
Oregonians who died by lethal ingestion in 2007 were evaluated by a
psychiatrist or a psychologist.
To further study the relationship between physician-assisted suicide
and depression, Dr Linda Ganzini (Oregon Health and Science
University) and colleagues conducted a study consisting of 58
terminally ill Buy generic clomid Oregonians. All patients had requested physician
assisted suicide or had contacted an aid in dying organization, and the
researchers sought to determine if they had depression or anxiety. The
depression and anxiety assessment utilized standardized measures,
questionnaires, and interviews.
The researchers conclude that Oregon’s current system of
physician-assisted suicide resulted in lethal prescriptions given to
some clinically depressed patients - some who were potentially
ineligible to participate.
Of the total, 15 patients were considered depressed and 13 had anxiety.
By the end of the study, 42 patients had died, 18 received a
prescription for a lethal medication under the Act, and nine died by
lethal ingestion. Although 15 patients who received a lethal
prescription did not meet the criteria for depression, three did meet
the criteria and then died by lethal ingestion less than two months
after the research interview.
The researchers realize that the majority of patients who request dying
aid do not meet the criteria for depression. However, they write that,
"The current practice of Death with Dignity Act may not adequately
protect all mentally ill patients."
They conclude: "Increased vigilance and systematic examination for
depression among patients who may access legalised aid in dying."
Dr Marije van der Lee (Helen Dowling Institute in the Netherlands)
writes in an accompanying editorial about the complexity inherent in
determining whether or not terminally ill patients have impaired
judgment due to depression. She argues that depression does not
necessarily impair judgment. What is most important, at least in her
native Netherlands, is whether or not the patient makes in informed
decision. "We should focus on trying to ‘protect’ patients from
becoming depressed in the first place, rather than focus on protecting
patients from assisted suicide," she concludes.
Prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients requesting
physicians’ aid in dying: cross sectional survey
Linda Ganzini, Elizabeth R Goy, Steven K Dobscha
BMJ (2008); 337:a1682
doi:10.1136/bmj.a1682
Click
Here To View Journal Website
Written by: Peter M Crosta
Copyright: Medical News Today
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