Saturday, November 18, 2017

If Victoria Follows Oregon, "Six Months to Live" Will Include Young Adults With Insulin Dependent Diabetes

William Toffler, MD
By Margaret Dore, updated 11/19/17.

On Friday, William Toffler, a physician and professor of family medicine in Oregon, explained the implications of a six months to live criteria proposed for euthanasia/assisted suicide in Victoria. In a letter and declaration to Members of the Legislative Council, Dr. Toffler stated:
In Oregon, a similar six months to live criteria is interpreted to include people with chronic conditions, such as chronic lower respiratory disease and insulin dependent diabetes (more formally known as "diabetes mellitus").
People with chronic conditions are "eligible" for assisted suicide if without their medication, they have less than six months to live. This is significant when you consider that a typical insulin-dependent 20 year-old will live less than a month without insulin. 
He added:
Such persons, with insulin, are likely to have decades to live. In fact, most diabetics have a normal life span given appropriate control of their blood sugar.
He concluded:
If Victoria's euthanasia bill follows Oregon practice, the proposed six months to live amendment will apply to people with chronic conditions, such as insulin dependent diabetes, to render such persons "eligible" for euthanasia.
Such persons, with insulin, can have decades to live.  
To view Dr. Toffler's declaration, click here.

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