Brooklyn, NY — Chairman Michael R. Long is calling on the Legislative Members to have true compassion for those who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness. “True compassion gives people aid in living. Today’s hospice and palliative care give comfort and do much to relieve pain to the terminally ill and gives them precious time with their families,” said Long in a memo distributed today. The full memo follows:

IN OPPOSITION TO…
Medical Aid in Dying Act and related bills

A. 10059 – Paulin (on Health Committee Agenda) S. 7579 – Savino

Bill Purpose: To provide that a mentally competent, terminally ill patient may request medication to be self-administered for the purpose of hastening the patient’s death provided the requirements set forth in the act are met; provides certain protections and immunities to health care providers and other persons, including a physician who prescribes medication in compliance with the provisions of the article to the terminally ill patient to be self-administered by the patient.

Party Position: To watch a loved one with a terminal illness wither in pain is the most heart wrenching experience family members bear, but the miracle of today’s medicines has done much to eliminate what patients and family members had to endure. Today’s hospice and palliative care give comfort and do much to relieve pain to the terminal ill patient and gives them precious time with their families.

True compassion does not cut short the lives of people who believe a diagnoses means an impending death; many have defied a doctor’s prognosis. True compassion gives people aid in living.

A patient given a diagnoses of a terminal illness is fearful; the unknown almost always brings fear. How can anyone who has been told they have a terminal illness be mentally competent to make a knowledgeable decision that they want to end their life?

While this bill seeks to prevent unscrupulous people and organizations from being a part of any action that helps the patient commit suicide, it is known that laws do not prevent such occurrences from taking place.

Why, in good conscience, would we allow a “Medical Aid in Dying Act” be enacted to allow unprincipled Dr. Kevorkian’s cover to encourage terminally ill patients to take their own lives.

In Vacco v. Quill, the US Supreme Court unanimously held that New York’s state ban on assisted suicide was both rational and constitutional.

A terminally ill patient can refuse medical treatment prolonging their life, but the fear of a painful death should not be the rational to hasten death.

All life is precious and must be protected — sometimes even from oneself.

The NYS Conservative Party urges the defeat of this proposal.

LM 2016-03