Letter: Most physicians do not support assisted suicide

Editor,

I feel compelled to respond to the article in Thursday's Daily Lobo titled "Assisting people in pain."

The issues surrounding assisted suicide and euthanasia are hotly debated among both academic and community-based physicians. Most well-performed surveys reveal a significant endorsement of physician-assisted suicide and, to a much lesser degree, euthanasia by physicians across the country. The majority of physicians in most national surveys, however, do not endorse these practices. Oregon is the only state where physician-assisted suicide is legal. In the United States and most countries of the world, euthanasia is illegal.

It is important for your readers to understand several important points. Even though Watson is an employee of the School of Medicine and "has never received any criticism from the UNM administration or staff for her role in the organization," this must not be interpreted to mean that her work is officially sanctioned or supported by the physicians at UNM. Indeed, many of us are quite opposed to assisted death, physician-assisted or otherwise, and to organizations that promulgate these ends to alleviate suffering.

I would encourage readers of the Daily Lobo to study the scholarly literature that abounds on this topic by authors such as Diane Meier, Bernard Lo, Timothy Quill and Ira Byock. I must point out to you that Jack Kevorkian does not represent an individual to be admired or emulated. He is a convicted felon who has violated most of the basic principles and standards of care established by the Royal Dutch Medical Society in the Netherlands, where euthanasia is practiced legally, and by the Oregon Health Division, which regulates assisted suicide in that state.

Finally, I would like to emphasize to your readers that there are a number of excellent pain and palliative care practitioners and centers in Albuquerque. There are many very effective pain treatment modalities - both traditional and complementary - that should be investigated by those suffering from severe pain. It must be also remembered that emotional pain is also amenable to treatment by skilled practitioners.

Not only is using these extreme practices to alleviate suffering illegal, it is not appropriate care for individuals who are suffering from pain, physical or otherwise.

George D. Comerci Jr., M.D.

UNM staff