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Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1994. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
In Va., Having a Say in Dying
Washington Post (12/20/94) P. A1 Hall, Charles W.
At a time when physician-assisted suicide has sparked great controversy, medical professionals and those who counsel the terminally ill say that passive euthanasia, in which a patient is allowed to die through the withholding of medical treatments, has become far more common with much less debate. AIDS patient Andy Moore, for example, is obtaining the Do Not Resuscitate form, which will allow him to die with dignity. Over the last four years, 24 states have quietly approved laws that allowed seriously ill patients to reject cardiopulmonary resuscitation by paramedics. Court rulings have also opened up many other forms of passive euthanasia, such as withdrawing antibiotics to patients, presenting families with difficult decisions about when to let a relative die. Since 1992, Virginia has issued more than 30,000 Do Not Resuscitate forms. State officials are planning a public awareness campaign, after a expansion of the law in July makes non-terminal patients with chronic illnesses eligible. Specialists on dying say the Do Not Resuscitate issue has provoked little debate because it stems from the legal principle that a person can refuse treatment even if that refusal may be fatal.
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Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1994. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
