To the Editor.
—The author of the essay1 is a brave, caring, and progressive member of his profession. His actions were those of one who values an individual's right of choice—Debbie's choice, my choice, the choices of many who refuse to suffer when hope of recovery is nil.
Physicians are so concerned with saving life that they are overlooking quality of life when the end is imminent. They are willing to withhold treatment at the request of a patient but will ignore a request for a peaceful, painless end. Outdated medical ethics and laws deny humans the final dignity of the "humane" end we afford our pets.
It galls me that all the naysayers of the medical community who have written to JAMA won't look past their protective veil of medical ethics to address an issue that is so overwhelmingly embraced by laymen. Active voluntary euthanasia certainly would be
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