POPE LEO XIV
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The Catholic bishops of New York are urging people to contact their legislators as a a vote to legalize physician-assisted suicide looms on the horizon.
"The NYS Assembly is expected to vote on physician-assisted suicide legislation as early as next week. Assembly Bill 136 would allow physicians to prescribe lethal doses of medication for the express purpose of ending a patient’s life," said the website for the New York State Catholic Conference.
The New York State Catholic Conference "represents the Bishops of the state in working with government to shape laws and policies that pursue social justice, respect for life and the common good."
Lawmakers, said the bishops, "need to hear from their constituents if we hope to avoid yet another assault on human life here." A phone call, they said, "is one of the most effective ways to get our message heard."
"Assisted suicide is dangerous for patients, caregivers, and vulnerable populations such as the elderly and people with disabilities. Suicide is not medical care," said the bishops.
Assembly Bill 136, the "Medical Aid in Dying Act," would make it legal for a physician to prescribe medication that an ill patient would use to end their own life. Under the bill, a person would be eligible to receive physician-assisted suicide if they have a "terminal illness or condition" along with the ability to make an informed decision.
Under the bill, a "terminal illness" is defined as "an incurable and irreversible illness or condition that has been medically confirmed and will, within reasonable medical judgment, produce death within six months."
Presently, in the United States, physician-assisted suicide is legal in 10 states as well as Washington, D.C. The most recent state to legalize the practice was New Mexico, in 2021.
