Caring Advocates Blog & News

This web blog considers current news items that are relevant to end-of-life choices that are legal and peaceful--both as matters of individual choice and of public policy. We welcome your comments on any posted article (click on "COMMENTS" below a story), and your suggestions of additional articles OR your own story.

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Name: Stanley A. Terman, Ph.D., M.D.
Location: Carlsbad, California, US

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Thursday, May 10, 2007

Listen to our recent interviews from KPBS

We just posted two recent KPBS interviews on the audios page.

On February 19, 2007, KPBS "These Days" Host Tom Fudge interviewed California Assemblyman Lloyd Levine who co-introduced the Compassionate Care Bill, and Doctor Ted Mazer, M.D., who is president of the San Diego County Medical Society and trustee of the California Medical Society. The last five minutes of that interview is excerpted here.

This clip demonstrates several points. First: even a lawmaker who devoted four years to this issue seemed unaware of the huge difference between starvation and dehydration. Second: Dr. Mazer stated those who Voluntarily Refuse Food and Fluid die of dehydration and they can be made comfortable until they lose consciousness. Third, Dr. Mazer noted that "3 out of 38" people who used a prescription of lethal medication in Oregon (in 2005) had some problems—either unpleasant side effects or it did not work.

Another point is quite important—what was not discussed: Existing and proposed laws to legalize Physician-Assisted Suicide offer nothing for patients who are currently suffering from dementia, or will eventually suffer from dementia.

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