Physician-assisted suicide bills in New York, like similar bills that have passed in several other states, lack important safeguards, making coercion or misapplication of the law a serious threat. Furthermore, they send a dangerous message to society that when someone is considered a “burden” to someone else, his or her life is no longer worth living.

While New York rightly spends millions of dollars a year to combat suicide, it is considering undermining these efforts significantly by declaring that oftentimes, suicide is “death with dignity.” The not-so-subtle implication is that those who choose to fight for their lives or to simply allow themselves to die a natural death are somehow undignified.

The New York State Catholic Conference has joined other opponents as part of the New York Alliance Against Assisted Suicide, made up of patients-rights, disabilities-rights advocates, health care, civil rights and faith-based advocacy organizations. Together we support increased access to palliative care (comfort care) and a rejection of the dangerous national movement toward physician assisted suicide.

Proponents of doctor-assisted suicide are pushing their agenda in states across the country, and New York is in their sights. They seek to make it legal for terminally ill patients to receive life-ending drugs. These policies are dangerous for patients, caregivers, and vulnerable populations such as the elderly and persons who are disabled. Suicide is not medical care. Please tell your Senate and Assembly representatives that you oppose this dangerous and deadly practice.