/R E P E A T -- Dr. François Desbiens, presidential candidate for the Collège
des médecins, to testify at "Dying with Dignity" Commission/

MONTREAL, Sept. 9 /CNW Telbec/ - Dr. François Desbiens, director of medical and university affairs at the Abitibi-Témiscaminque health and social services agency (ASSS) and a candidate for the presidency of the Collège des médecins, will appear before public hearings on the issue of the right to die with dignity, in the Salon des saisons at the Hôtel Omni Mont-Royal on Friday, September 10 at 9:30 am.

Dr. Desbiens was one of the experts called to appear before the National Assembly last February at the commission's request. He also helped write the scenarios for the consultation document.

Over the course of his career, Dr. Desbiens has encountered hundreds of end-of-life situations. "Beyond a doubt, there are cases where the patient's suffering is so intense that adequate relief cannot be provided," said the Abitibi doctor. "As the Collège des médecins insists, Quebec needs end-of-life care that reflects the clinical reality and that allows for nuance and adjustment to the beliefs and ideas of every individual."

Dr. Desbiens firmly believes there is a true Quebec model of appropriate care that has developed over the last 20 years. "Withdrawing treatment to avoid therapeutic inflexibility did not lead to abuse," he says. "I believe that we can draw inspiration from the Quebec model to create an innovative model of appropriate end-of-life care that respects everyone."

Desbiens feels that the debate over the right to die with dignity will help improve the quality of end-of-life care in Quebec.

For more information about Dr. François Desbiens, please go to www.francoisdesbiens.com.

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Hugo Larouche
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