A week and a half ago, I read an article in the newspaper about how the California state senate had rejected a bill that would have allowed the terminally ill (with less than 6 months to live) to opt for a lethal prescription (see this alternate article from the LA Times for more detail). It's an interesting issue - and one that I should have a position on. On the one hand, I definitely agree with giving people the right to "die with dignity" or end unbearable (or unnecessary) pain. On the other hand, I also agree that, given this legal option, government or health care providers might unduly steer people towards this option to shave costs. On net, though, I would have passed this piece of legislation. It has the right safeguards - evaluation by physicians, repeated statements of wishes, a two-week waiting period, and patients taking any lethal prescription themselves without help. The financial side of it is potentially tricky but I also believe that the free market would potentially correct itself (through supplemental insurance, patient advocacy, etc).
I think about Max and the suffering he was going through. I honestly believe that he would have chosen this option. And as painful as it was for me and my wife, I'm glad that we had this option available to us to end his suffering - rather than watch him wither away in pain.
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