California Judge Rejects Physicians" Plea To Suspend Assisted Suicide Law

Medical Silvia Meyer
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The request by physicians to immediately suspend assisted suicide law was recently rejected by a judge in California. The new state law allows terminally ill people to end their lives.

On Friday, Judge Daniel A. Ottolia ruled that for now, the law would remain in effect. While claiming that the law lacks safeguards against abuse, the Riverside County Superior Court Judge, however, agreed to allow the physicians pursue their lawsuit.

According to the law, a prescription for life-ending medication can be obtained by terminally ill adults once it has been medically determined that they have no more than six months to live.

Supporters of the Assisted Suicide Law have argued that if the law is suspended, terminally ill people could face prolonged, painful deaths.

According to one of the attendees of the hearing, Elizabeth Wallner, the denial of the motion to suspend the law by the judge gave her an immeasurable sense of peace. The Sacramento resident who has been diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer said, when the judge ruled on the law, she could do nothing but cry in relief. According to her, she wants to have the ability to control the end of her life and protect her child from watching her suffer in the torturing hands of death.

In 1997, Oregon became the first state to provide the option for terminally ill people to obtain the prescription for life-ending medication. Now California has joined in, to make up five states where legal assistance may be provided to terminally ill people to put an end to their lives.

However, apart from the physicians challenging the Californian law, some other organizations like the American Academy of Medical Ethics and the Life Legal Defense Foundation have also joined in.