Press Announcement October 27 2013 - An Oregon doctor: Bill 52 is a license to kill

Date : October 27 2013
Time : 10:30
PLACE : Room 202 Centre St-Pierre
1212, rue Panet, Montréal (Qc) H2L 2Y7

MONTREAL, Oct. 26, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - 2 days prior to "a vote in principal of Bill 52" at the National Assembly, the Coalition of Physicians for Social Justice presents an Oregon physician, Dr Kenneth Stevens, who will describe how the Oregon physician assisted suicide law has caused hundreds of physician assisted suicides over the past 15 years. He will also describe how if the current Bill 52 on euthanasia is passed in Quebec, hundreds of Quebecers will die annually at the hands of doctors.

Dr Kenneth Stevens is a leading cancer specialist with more than 40 years' experience.  He is also a Professor Emeritus and a former Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology, Oregon Health & Sciences University, in Portland, Oregon.  He has treated thousands of patients with cancer.

Dr Stevens will describe how hundreds of so-called "hopeless cases" with treatment can go on to survive many profitable years or be cured. He will explain how other people are encouraged to give up on care because of the existence of the assisted suicide law. The message of the proponents of assisted suicide is that "doctors can do a better job of killing you than caring for you."

Present at the conference and giving her testimony is a patient of Dr Stevens, Jeanette Hall. She was diagnosed in 2000 with lower bowel cancer and told that she had six months to a year to live.  She asked for assisted suicide as provided by the state of Oregon. Dr Stevens disagreed with her decision for assisted suicide and was able to convince her to undergo radiation and chemotherapy. She is now thrilled to be alive 13 years after undergoing cancer therapy and not killing herself with a lethal dose of barbiturates.

Dr Stevens will discuss how financial incentives in Oregon's government health plan steers patients to assisted suicide. Dr. Stevens will warn that if assisted suicide or euthanasia is legalized in Quebec, then the Quebec government health program could follow a similar pattern limiting coverage for cancer care and thus encouraging euthanasia.

Dr. Paul Saba, a family physician and co-president of the Coalition of Physicians for Social Justice will explain how Québec's proposed euthanasia law would encourage people, including young adults 18 and over with treatable conditions such as depression, chronic lung and heart disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and  fibromyalgia to agree to euthanasia and end their lives.

The Coalition's position against euthanasia is supported by the World Medical Association representing nine million physicians.

For additional information and references including videos visit coalitionmd.org.

SOURCE: Coalition of Physicians for Social Justice

Dr. Paul Saba
514-886-3447
514-249-8541
[email protected]

Coalitionmd.org