Beware 'suicide contagion'

NRLC: The latest figures for Oregon show that cases of assisted suicide have gone from 16 in 1998 to 71 in 2011, an increase of 450% (see chart). Switzerland has seen a 700% increase in assisted suicides over the same period. Swiss authorities have recorded a steady rise of assisted suicides in recent years, from 43 in 1998 to 297 in 2009. Earlier figures are not available, even though assisted suicide has been legal in Switzerland since 1942.

The experience of both countries demonstrates that when assisted suicide is legalised there will inevitably be incremental extension. A major factor fuelling this increase is suicide contagion – the so-called Werther effect. This is particularly dangerous when assisted suicides are backed by celebrities as they are here and given high media profile as they are frequently by the BBC.

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. 

'via Blog this'

Oregon Report Shows More Assisted Suicides, More Secrecy

Oregon Report Shows More Assisted Suicides, More Secrecy | NRL News Today: Assisted suicide proponents argue that getting the government to sanction medically induced death results in patient autonomy. Of course, they may be the only people nowadays who believe that increased government involvement results in increased individual autonomy.

'via Blog this'

Washington: 51 People Die From Assisted Suicide in 2nd Year

A new report from Washington state officials shows 87 people received lethal doses of medications under the second-in-the-nation law that legalized the practice of assisted suicide. The Department of Health report reveals 71 individuals died — with 51 people reportedly having after ingesting the lethal dose and 15 dying from other causes. The Department of Health does not know if the remaining 6 people died of assisted suicide or from another cause. The Department of Health also does not know the status for the 16 remaining people who requested lethal medications — whether they are dead or alive or if they died from natural causes or from assisted suicide. LifeNews

UK Doctors Consistently Oppose Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide

A review of research carried out over 20 years suggests that UK doctors appear to consistently oppose euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (PAS). The findings highlight a gap between doctors' attitudes and those of the public. Science Daily

Sight Gets Repurposed in Brains of the Blind

Sight Gets Repurposed in Brains of the Blind | Wired Science | Wired.com: In the brains of people blind from birth, structures used in sight are still put to work — but for a very different purpose. Rather than processing visual information, they appear to handle language.

New progress report on Alzheimer's disease research.

The National Institute on Aging has just released their latest annual report on Alzheimer’s disease research. Written for both experts and consumers, the Progress Report on Alzheimer’s Disease: Translating New Knowledge summarizes current scientific directions and highlights key findings from Alzheimer’s research. Consumers can read or download thefree report online. The booklet is a comprehensive but easy-to-read overview of the latest research. Caring Right at Home

Looking for a source

Beatitudes for Special People are all over the web, but there are at least three different authors attributed: Marjorie Chappell, Lionel Blue, and Robert Perske. Anyone have a definitive source? It starts out like this:

"Blessed are you who take time to listen to defective [or difficult] speech, for you help us to know that if we persevere, we can be understood."

Please post a comment if you know anything or have a lead. Thanks!

Belgian nurses are involved with euthanasia without consent

A study published in the May 17 Journal of the Canadian Medical Association says nearly half of the euthanasia deaths in Belgium that directly involve nurses are done without the consent of the patient. Nurses participated in 248 euthanasia deaths in 2007 with 120 of those euthanasia deaths being done without the explicit request or consent of the patient. Further to that, nurses participated in 12% of the total euthanasia deaths that were done with the consent of the patient and 45% of the total euthanasia deaths that were done without the request or consent of the patient. Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Fill end-of-life care gaps: cancer group

Where Canadians live often makes a difference in whether or not they are able to die with dignity where they wish. The Canadian Cancer Society released a special report about end-of-life care with the Canadian Cancer Statistics 2010 report. Canada has a "patchwork approach" to providing care at the end of life, which means some cancer patients and their parents aren't getting the high-quality support they need. The report showed that when palliative care services were available, people were not necessarily using them. It could be that families aren't aware or doctors may not be referring them early enough to take advantage of the services. CBC News

Music and Art Therapy for People With Dementia

Dementia is a disease that affects memory and communication skills. It can be hard to help a loved one with dementia stay connected to the world. Music and art therapy may help revive memories, provide an outlet for expression, and offer enjoyment. MyOptumHealth

• Art Therapy for Alzheimer's and Dementia, Everyday Health
• Art as Mechanism of Expression When Verbal Skills Fail
• The Pablo Picasso Alzheimer's Therapy
• Music Therapy in Dementia Treatment — Recollection Through Sound
• Music as a Tool to Improve Communications Skills in Alzheimer’s Patients
  

Doctor injected MS sufferers with cow stem cells

A doctor who claimed he could cure MS sufferers by injecting them with stem cells from cows has been found guilty of exploiting his vulnerable patients. Dr Robert Trossel told patients they were receiving umbilical cord stem cells but in many cases hid the fact that they were of animal origin and contained a risk of BSE. STV

Euthanasia Requests Triple in Belgium

After being legalized eight years ago, euthanasia is becoming increasingly frequent in Belgium. The number of requests for euthanasia have almost tripled since 2003, when 235 patients reportedly asked to be killed. The number rose to 428 in 2006, 495 in 2007, and 705 in 2008, according to the latest statistic gathered in the study.

The largest group requesting euthanasia is young male cancer victims, although 18 percent are people over the age of 80. Over 6.5 percent are people who are not in the final stages of their lives, but are mostly victims of degenerative neuromuscular diseases. The majority of euthanasia recipients are killed in their homes by the administration of barbiturates and muscle relaxants. LifeSiteNews

Assisted suicide laws cited in 95 deaths in Washington, Oregon

Ninety-five terminally ill patients died in 2009 after taking lethal doses of medications prescribed by their physicians under death-with-dignity laws in Washington and Oregon, according to health department reports released in March. aMedNews

Analysis: Washington’s suicide report mirrors Oregon’s

Washington mirrored Oregon in the low number of people who were referred for psychiatric evaluation. “So, Washington looks like Oregon, redux,” bioethics commentator Wesley Smith wrote on his weblog March 6. “And that’s too bad. Terminally ill patients deserve better than to have their worst fears verified by doctors issuing lethal prescriptions instead of vowing to stay with the patient to the end caring for their pain, validating their dignity and supporting the importance of their lives. ERLC

Pro-life critique of WA's assisted suicide report

Alex Schadenberg of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition had these concerns about the new report: "The majority were 65 years old or older, and educated. Nearly half had private insurance. These factors are consistent with their being individuals with money. Older people with money are prime targets of abuse. Washington's act is, regardless, coercive: An heir who will benefit from the death, is allowed to help the person sign up for the lethal dose; there is no requirement of consent at the time of death." According to the report, 23 percent of the Washington residents who killed themselves via assisted suicide did so due to a concern about becoming a "burden" to their families.

Dr. Patricia O’Halloran, the vice president of Physicians for Compassionate Care Education Foundation, pointed out other problems. Only three patients were referred for psychiatric evaluation — despite the fact that the primary reason people attempt and die from suicide is underlying depression. Also, the physician who wrote for the fatal overdose was present at the time it was ingested in only 3 of the 36 cases. "Who are these witnesses to death? Are they advocates of assisted suicide? In the remaining 45% of cases, we have no information as to whether anyone was present with the patient when they died. Did they die alone? . . . Without an unbiased, disinterested witness at death, there is no way to know if the patient was of sound mind and making an informed choice when the actual ingestion took place, or even if the patient ingested it voluntarily." LifeNews

Report Finds 36 Died Under WA Assisted Suicide Law

At least 36 terminally ill people died last year after taking lethal medication prescribed by doctors under Washington State’s new physician-assisted suicide law, according to a state report released Thursday, the first since the law went into effect a year ago. A total of 63 people filled prescriptions for lethal medication, but not everyone took it. All those who did take it died. Some people who did not take it died from other causes. NY Times

Related: Noon protest Friday at state capitol marking anniversary of Washington's Death With Dignity Act.

Does Antibacterial Soap Work Better Than Regular Soap?

Washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water is one of the simplest ways to prevent colds from spreading. But does antibacterial soap work any better than plain soap in fighting infections? Not according to a study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Learn more about the important differences between hand santizers and antibacterial soaps: Everyday Health

First U.S. stem cells transplanted into spinal cord

For the first time in the United States, stem cells have been directly injected into the spinal cord of a patient. Doctors injected stem cells from 8-week-old fetal tissue into the spine of a man in his early 60s who has advanced ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. . . . These particular stem cells -- which came from the spinal cord of an 8-week-old fetus -- are neural stem cells, which have the ability to turn into different types of nerve cells. These are not the same stem cells as the controversial human embryonic stem cells, which destroy the embryo when the stem cells are removed. CNN

Editor: Are they hoping to slip one past us, as though the 8-week-old fetus isn't being destroyed. Oh right, it's aborted first. Not "controversial?" I don't think so. See What About Fetal Tissue Harvesting?

Light Touch Helps Grip of MS Patients

People with MS use excessive force when lifting objects, which can lead to fatigue and make everyday tasks difficult, physical therapists from the University of Illinois at Chicago explained in a school news release. Using the finger of the opposite hand to apply a gentle touch to the affected hand may help improve control and coordination, they stated. The study included eight adults with MS who were asked to grip and lift a variety of objects and move them in several different ways, directions and velocities. When they used the gentle finger touch, the force of their grip was reduced and the task became easier. Everyday Health