A Medical Thriller by Stanley A. Terman, Ph.D., M.D.
From conspiracy to enlightenment- A medical thriller based on the premise that insurance companies must promote greater willingness to hasten dying to increase their profits. Includes the author's position paper on Physician-Assisted Suicide, and a "How To" guide to the alternative — A legal peaceful way to hasten dying. About 330 pages, shrink-wrapped, 7 by 10 inches, hardbound or trade paperback, available in books stores soon, or on the web. Unabridged audio version coming soon. Free excerpts of initial chapters (including audio) are on the web site.
What if the CEOs of health and long-term care insurance companies, whose bonuses depend upon increasing profits, reached their last resort to decrease costs and now must encourage patients to hasten dying? What if they found a research physician who craved fame and fortune for his two contributions? A computer program that allows totally paralyzed patients to commit suicide, and a trio of prescription medications that are lethal when combined, but individually can slip under the radar of the Drug Enforcement Agency. To produce a video documentary to influence patients and doctors to hasten dying, only one component would then be missing: their star. This patient would deliver an eloquent, passionate, and persuasive speech just before he voluntarily demonstrates that Physician-Assisted Suicide is peaceful and patriotic. A long search leads to a decorated war hero who is nearly quadriplegic from end-stage Lou Gehrig's disease.
His mind is clear and his rhetoric is charismatic, but there is one potential obstacle: his undying devotion to his feisty daughter.
The doctor's plan is to psychologically manipulate the patient into believing it is his own idea to volunteer for Physician—Assisted Suicide. His assistant, an evil male nurse well versed in more brutal methods of persuasion, wants instead to threaten the patient's daughter. She is dating a young doctor who becomes her only hope...
The couple's desperate attempts to save their own lives as well as the patient's lead them into a maze of end-of-life ethics and physician bias. To emerge, they must learn how a father's love can transcend even death itself.
LethalChoice.com
NOTE: For payment made by check, please make payable to Institute for Strategic Change. (California residents must add 7.75% sales tax.)