Physician-Assisted Suicides in Oregon Increasing in Number with Less Information

PCCEF - Articles: The Public Health Department of the Oregon Health Authority released their report for physician-assisted suicides for the 2011 year. Their report is available online. Physicians for Compassionate Care Education Foundation is concerned with multiple areas of the report. Among their concerns are:

• There were more prescriptions and deaths than in any previous year, indicative of an increase in hopelessness and despair among a vulnerable population with serious illness.
• As in previous years, there was virtually no formal evaluation for underlying depression, anxiety or other serious mental health issue. Only one of the 71 patients was referred for psychiatric evaluation. Are we failing to recognize and address the despair that is frequently found in patients near the end of life? What are we doing to protect these vulnerable Oregonians?
• As in previous years, pain has not been a major concern; only one third of patients had inadequate pain control or concern about it. The most commonly expressed concerns of those dying from physician-assisted suicide were unchanged from previous reports: less able to engage in activities making life enjoyable, losing autonomy, and loss of dignity.
• In only 6 cases was the prescribing physician present at the time of ingestion, thus very little is known or reported regarding events at the time of ingestion of the medications. 
• With each passing year, Oregonians know less and less about what is really happening with assisted suicides in the state. The proper practice of all aspects of medicine requires adequate oversight and peer review. 

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