2021-10-01 00:00:00 - Joint Committee on Public Health
2021-10-01 00:00:00 - Joint Committee on Public Health
(Part 3 of 3)
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
[PART 3]
um
and then I would ask is12 pastor Alice Arguello there? Yes, I am welcome,
AULUS ARGOLLO - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Thank you and good afternoon, I want to thank you the members of the community. My name is Aulus Argollo and I'm a pastor in Massachusetts. I came here to express that my community and I not so far in the bill. As a pastor have you witnessed so many stories when the doctors predictions failed terribly. I would like to bring you the story of Doselena who lives in you for the Massachusetts. She was 85 years old when she was diagnosed with lymphoma. There was 12 years ago the doctors predicted that she would live five years with treatment seven years ago they stopped the treatment two years ago the Because the predicted that she would leave only 6-12 months. She was assigned to be assisted by VNA Nurses Visiting Association Now she's at the age of 96 and talking and blasting many people with her testimony.
This is not because she is not suffering. She suffered seeing herself as a burden to others. She suffers because her physical condition but she is blessing others and letting us a chance to learning with her insurance. Another case that I had a witness was Pedro Alvarez when he was a little boy four years old, he was predicted that he would die in three months because of to his brain. The predictions were terrible wrong And now he is 27 years old. Within a great lawyer. Another case was about Ronaldo Cabrini about 12 years ago was diagnosed with a very different type of cancer. He was expected to die in five years Today is about 53 old years old and I enjoying his grandson and working hard and being a blessing to many people bring this test mornings. I wanted to bring a point about the two foundations in favor of this bill, suffering in doctors predict prediction.
The basic of a person to decide about to stop his life because the suffering is the reality of not having a chance to live. The question is, are these prediction right? If the doctor are not always right, there is a false foundation for a decision. What about the ones who killed themselves and could be alive today? Yeah. And we are really sorry about the stories of people who suffered191 which their beloved one I have going through some 30 stories to And I suffer with my beloved one. What I have learning about suffering, suffering has a purpose myself is sometimes bless you. Others make them to grow in life. I believe that the great argument in favor of this bill is about suffering. I urge each one of you to rethink our217 ideas about suffering will learn a lot with suffering. We're learning, we learned how to serve how to be merciful, so how to be patient the suffering out of your life. We cannot avowed be killing people. Thank you very much. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you for your time. So I'm going to call on the next four people and then I know there's a few other people who are not on earlier. I will get to you as soon as I can. Um, at this time I'm going to move forward with um, Pamela nelson, Betsy Louise, Symons, Patricia Rakowski, uh, Michael, jermaine and very Miles Pamela. Are you on? I am. Can you hear me? I can welcome.
PAMELA NELSON - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Thank you very261 much. Chair, Decker chair. Comerford and committee members. I want to thank you for this opportunity to offer my personal testimony in support of an act272 relative to end of life options. My name is Dr. Pamela nelson. I practiced medicine in Raleigh North Carolina for 20 years and subsequently in Falmouth Massachusetts for 5.5 years. While my medical career strengthened my support for this legislation. The death of my father, a PhD professor of physiology at the Medical College of Ohio at297 Toledo confirmed for299 me that at the end of life it can be unnecessarily brutal. My father died in December of 1999. A few weeks308 before the turn of the century in October.
He had suffered a devastating stroke which left him unable to speak or to swallow for a medical school professor who enjoyed good food and who loved to express his opinions. This stroke was a322 particularly cruel blow He had suffered. He had survived an earlier stroke in 1993 that left him with left sided weakness. It was understood that I, as a333 physician and my parents only child would serve as his health care proxy. He had told me that he was not interested in futile attempts to lengthen his life. No heroics was the way he put it. When the question finally arose, however, his care team asked permission to insert a feeding guests, Frost tv tube, a tube that entered through his abdominal wall into his stomach so that he could receive nourishment without risk of choking. It was a fairly minor procedure with relatively little risk.
Rather than ask for time to consider my decision, I granted permission for them to proceed. It was only later that I realized I had agreed to allow the care team to prolong my374 father suffering with his feudal procedure. He ended up surviving until December. Living a life that he found frustrating, discouraging and bleak. I have always regretted agreeing to the insertion of the feeding gastronomy tube. My father would have preferred to die with his boots on watching him as he grew increasingly helpless. I learned a hard lesson that that life send when all that remains is suffering, Preserving 1's dignity and autonomy is far more important. Then clinging to405 a feudal and spiritually devastating existence, recalling his final weeks, I wish he had had the option to choose to end his suffering. Please pass this legislation and thank you. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you for coming forward. At this time I would welcome Betsy Louise, Symons or Simon's
Welcome.
You're on mute.
Okay,
okay, we can hear you but
BETSY LOUISE SIMMONS - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Thank you for this opportunity. Um, I support the end of life options act and I also have deep respect for the people, the feelings and the fears that some people in the disability community feel. But there is enough safeguards in this bill to ensure that only the individual whose life is at stake makes this choice. There's never been coercion that I465 have learned about and I think there's enough safety that every individual can have the opinion they have and follow through with their wishes. Death is inevitable. Nobody gets out of this. Life alive within this truth there's plenty of room for choice,483 communication and compassionate care. We deserve to choose as much as is possible.
The conditions, timing and tone of are dying. I've accompanied many, many people through497 the dying process as a health educator, hospice singer and an interfaith minister. I've witnessed death as a fearful, clumsy crash with frantic, futile efforts to accept extend life that leads to clustering. I've also witnessed dying as an intentional, graceful process for people ready to die. Having expressed their thanks by some lessons, I feel like each person can help determine when and how they die with the support of those they choose for counsel and care. This includes family, friends, medical and spiritual caregivers, representatives of government or insurance companies cannot predict or prescribe this very intimate decision. Yeah. Each person deserves, I feel to explore and discern what can I555 live with? What can I live without?
This may be sight, sound touch, taste, mental clarity, physical capacity, Spiritual connection. There is a time to live and a time to die. As the balance of life shifts from pleasure and577 purpose to pain and incapacity, we can choose to cease curative treatment except palliative care, which is growing tremendously to manage symptoms and pain and ready ourselves for the natural process of dying. For many people I've known, dying is not the worst fate in the world. What is the worst is losing their minds, Their words, their mobility, their capacities, their friends, their hope. People don't wish to die. They just don't need to last forever when so much has been lost. This readiness to die is not a failure of pathology or defeat. It's a natural common culmination of a life well lived. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Oh, next time. Yeah. Please do feel free to submit your testimony in writing as well. I did. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for joining us today. Um, and ask is if if Patricia Rutkowski is here,
are you here? Patricia?
Um, okay, Michael Jermaine. I think you're there with your
you're back on mute.
Can you hear me down? You can hear you
MICHEL GERMAIN - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Okay, thank you for allowing me to testify today. Um, I think I have a unique perspective. I'm a nephrologist. Um, Michel Germain and um, I've been in practice in Springfield for 40 years and we take care of dialysis patients688 who have689 the highest Mortality rate over 25% per year of any disease state, including heart failure, metastatic cancer. And I think most people will, will know that dialysis patients suffered tremendously. And, you know, many of them choose um, to stop dialysis and passed away peacefully, which generally takes about eight days and they can have a very peaceful death at home. So this is something, you know, we see regularly that724 people choose to stop dialysis and have a peaceful death. I tell those patients and their family.
It's really, you know, a tremendous opportunity that other people don't have to choose the time and place of their own death in a peaceful way. What this bill allows us to do is extend that to other people. Um, you know, that people should not have to suffer. And I've listened to a752 lot of the testimony about, you know, the concerns about disabled people, about people who have made miraculous recoveries and, you know, I understand that, but I think people are misunderstanding the point here. The point is to give people a choice to have autonomy. I don't think any of us should think that we know better than they do what to do. And I think it's a disrespect two people in general to say, you know, you're not smart enough or you're going to be taken advantage of, um, I think everyone has the right to make their own decisions about their body. And um oftentimes, you know, whether it be a religion or be the government.
They think they know better than the person does. And that's my feeling is that's not the case. I think people should have this choice. I know for sure this is a compassionate and um peaceful way for people to choose the time and place of their own ending. And it can be extremely beautiful. I've been at people's homes when they've died. Um I've held their hands as they died. Um you know, and it's it829 is a magical thing to see when people have um you know, given that choice and to be able to die on their terms. Um there's a new term that we hear now called a completed life. That is an amazing thing to do all the things you need to do to complete your life and then choose to exit. Um at the time of your choosing and the place where you're choosing. Having come to terms with um your religion or any extent existential issues. And thank you very much for allowing me to speak. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you for your testimony. I would invite mary Miles
mary
and what I'm here. Welcome.
MERI MYLES - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - My name is Meri Myles. I have lived in concord mass for 40 years. I urge you to support the end of life abstinence act and move it quickly and favorably out of committee. I have ALS also known as Lou Gehrig's disease There is no here after cancer. It is the second most frequent through frequent reason. He sits have a great question, medical aid and dying in states that have approved such choices. I too would like to have that choice. Here's what I have to look forward to.
It's this bill has not passed sometime in the next year or so based on how my disease is per racing. I will lose the ability to speak, swallow, breathe and move any part of my body except my eyeballs. There's a term for this. It's called locked in. I choose not to linger in this way with a feeding tube and a ventilator. The only other options available to me today with the passage of this bill or to slowly starve to1026 death or slowly suffocate to death. I ask you which we do choose? SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you Miss Miles. Thank you for joining us and thank you for your testimony
at this time. I am going to invite a few people who missed the earlier round and that's going to be brian. Shea David franks and jo Marie jo marine brian.
Mhm. Okay. Um Hello, can you hear me?
Yes I can1085 hear you welcome.
BRIAN SHEA - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Okay thank you very much madam chair uh and the committee uh for uh oh my allowing everyone to testimony today. Um I will I intend to uh submit written testimony but today I want to just touch on some things that that that I will be touching on a written testimony. Uh I I am somebody who lived with various disabilities my wife, um I'm I'm a sort of quite peer specialist, well works with folks who uh uh who have lived experience of oh psychiatric diagnosis and I um I in and I frequently encountered folks who uh expressed the desire to in their lives. Um I also um
I want to echo what the the print, some of the previous uh folks who testified about the real pressures. Yeah. That that bear down on folks with disabilities with with such legislation is this and there is in Oregon. Um I want to as more of that in 2019, the disability rights and justice movement was two of its strong advocates bill piece and in Carey and lukas um both of whom uh died as a result of being denied treat being denied expensive treatments by their ensure uh uh by the by the Sure United1250 House. Um I want to raise them up today and others who have faced who face the same fate.
I want to end my testimony today by saying that for a lot of people there can be no real choice.As long as health care is a commodity and not all right, as long as uh personal assistance services and long term support services and supports are not uh available to everyone who needs them. And as long as things like uh housing and other things as in economy where everything is uh commodified and not a right uh there is less choice for those who are socially marginalized and especially with pressures uh exerted by forces that are bigger than us. Uh and I will submit uh written testimony elaborating on this. Thank you very much for your time. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you. Mr Shea, thank you for your testimony and thank you for your patience and waiting for us to circle back to you
at this time. Yeah. At this time I would ask um David franks and then joe marine,
DAVID FRANKS - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Thank you very much. Chair Decker and others. Thank members of the Committee on1366 Public Health, who stamina. I applaud, I am chair of Massachusetts citizens for life, but I come before you as an ethicist and political philosopher to speak against this bill. I also come as someone from the economic and racial margins since the last1379 public hearing held on assisted suicide and apocalyptic scale event has taken place. The pandemic has been a true apocalypse because apocalypse means in fact the unveiling of what is already there and what has been revealed to those not on the margins as a pre existing condition of lethal inequity for those on the margins in this context. The re proposal of a pro suicide bill on Beacon Hill is remarkable. Promoting this legislation in the midst of a pandemic in which about 40% of the victims have been elderly persons living in long term care facilities.
Shocks the conscience promoting such a white, progressive and divisive, deliberate. um, at a time when the people cannot easily lobby legislators in person, offends the most basic democratic sensibility. No matter how we play with words, physician assisted suicide is still what it is. Suicide and suicide has been epidemic in America for a long time. Now ending the lives of more than 47,000. In 2017, a 33% increase over the previous two decades. Suicide is an American crisis and is only getting worse. Even before the lockdown, nearly half of nursing home residents were diagnosed with depression and according to the CDC, we know that almost half of those who died by suicide suffered from a known mental health condition. Indeed, perhaps a third of residents report suicidal ideation again, even before the lockdown, however, is jerry reed and nationally recognized suicide expert notes.
Most suicide prevention funding targets young or middle aged people because of ageist attitudes that suggests such investments and interventions are not as necessary for older adults. The pandemic has exposed fundamental inequities in our social system in general and in our health care system in particular, the elderly persons with disabilities and poor minorities have been especially hard hit. The social upheaval of the pandemic time should have awakened consciousness to the structural inequities that bedevil us, but the sirens singing assisted suicide make us lethal Lee oblivious beguiling with the song of autonomy, the very anthem of white privilege. It is one thing not to address the preexisting conditions. It is even worse to exacerbate those conditions. Turn suicide into1496 a medical option, quote unquote, contaminate medicine with this strange lie.
That healing can be accomplished by killing and the inequities will only intensify. It was edifying to listen to poor people and people of color testified before this committee two years ago1508 as they tried to communicate and they did today again to legislators who occupy different social position in this world. How fearful they were of legislation that would give say health insurance companies the option to deny coverage for actual medicines in favor of a newly designated medical quote unquote option, aid in dying. They have suffered denials of care all their lives. They know assisted suicide will increase the deadliness of systemic injustice. Can even in apocalypse, not wake us up to hear voices pleading from a different social experience than the one to which we are accustomed. Please do not advance this bill so lethal to the marginalized and so corrosive of social equality. Thank you for1543 this opportunity to speak. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you joseph Marine.
JOSEPH MARINE - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Thank you honored committee members. My name is Joseph Marine. I'm a cardiologist practicing with Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore with over 20 years of experience caring for thousands of patients. I'm also a member of the American Medical1560 Association and American College of Physicians, both1563 of which oppose legalization of assisted suicide. I speak on my own behalf. I ask that you oppose this bill because doctor assisted suicide represents dangerous and misguided public policy, which violates many basic principles of patient safety and medical ethics and which has not addressed the needs of patients with advanced illnesses and disability assisted suicide is not medical care.
It has no basis in medical science practice or tradition. The lethal drugs used have never been scientifically tested to cause death in humans, and the USFDA has never approved any drugs for this purpose. Even in states where assisted suicide is legal, the vast1597 majority of doctors will not participate in it until recently. Barbiturates have been the dominant drug use for assisted suicide. However, due to price increases, proponents of assisted suicide have begun experimenting outside the boundaries of evidence based medicine with new combinations of drugs1612 to induce death. One of the combinations using chloral hydrate made the mixture extremely caustic,1617 burning patient's mouths and throats and causing some to scream in pain After ingestion experimentation has continued with other new drug cocktails.
An experimental combination called DMP, Diazepam, Morphine and Propranolol reportedly took a prolonged time to kill a patient. So a massive dose of digoxin was added to the mix to create DDMP. The Jackson is used because of its well known ability to cause lethal heart arrhythmias and cardiac arrest in 2019. The tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline was added to a new cocktail called DDMA due to its cardio toxic effect in overdose, which is well known to psychiatrists who prescribed for depression. In late 2020, some physicians began to add Phenobarbital to1658 DDMA,1658 indicating1658 that further experimentation is continuing again without any apparent scientific oversight or reporting the continued experimentation with assisted suicide drug cocktails on sick patients also suggests that the current combinations are not working as expected or as reported by1673 proponents.
Any experimental medical research conducted on human beings requires a protocol approved by an institutional review committee and oversight by a data safety monitoring board and physicians must promptly report any complications assisted suicide abides by none of these basic standards of science, data ethics or evidence that guide medical care in the 21st century. This bill therefore provides a new license for doctors1696 to violate basic principles of medical ethics and to experiment upon vulnerable patients with no practical limits, oversight or accountability. What patients with advanced illnesses1706 and disabilities need is more support and greater access to high quality palliative hospice care and pain management programs. We should better use these valuable medical tools and not undermine our health care system with assisted suicide. Thank you very much. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you. Um At this time1725 I would invite uh Peter Rowe Gats to come forward. Mhm Peter are you with us? Peter Rowe Gats.
I would also invite veni pollock.
Okay, but also remind you. Once you've testified, we ask that you please log off to help preserve the bandwidth for those who are trying to log on. Um, okay, we will try to circle back to you. Um, I would invite Mark Rollo.
Yes, thank you very much. Uh, you can hear me okay and hearing her.
MARK ROLLO - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Uh my name is Mark Rollo and I'm a family physician of more than 35 years. Most of that time I've spent taking care of my community in Fitchburg Massachusetts. I am strongly opposed to enact relative to end away for options. You see we already have the ethical options of hospice and palliative care. The quality of which in Massachusetts is second to none despite the emission of the term. This bill is really about assisted suicide, which puts all of us are risk. People are always, they always have the right to withdraw from care assisted suicide is different. It is a recipe for elder abuse, estimates are that 10% of elders are subject to abuse and sadly 90% of the abusers or family members assisted suicide laws provide another tool for malevolent family members who may gain financially by an elder's death.
Ironically, the legislature is considering another bill to punish people for encouraging others to die by suicide. That's Conrad's law, Senate Bill 103 to why, why then would we want to create a law which facilitates facilitates suicide regardless of the1850 reason this inconsistency is actually highlighted by the last line of Conrad's law, which states that a doctor facilitating facilitating suicide does not apply saying so does not make it so the cognitive1867 dissonance is obvious assisted suicide laws caused the general suicide rate to rise. In Oregon. For example, the increase in the general suicide rate among ages 35-64, it was almost double the national average during the first decade of implementation of the assisted suicide law. When the power to assist people to commit suicide is given to physicians, how long will trust in the medical profession last?
How long will it take for doctors to become tools of the state and insurance companies to steer despairing people towards suicide as a cost cutting measure. This has already taken place in states which have legalised assisted suicide and you've heard about some1918 of them. Finally, this legislation is inherently discriminatory. For example, almost three quarters of North Hampton1926 residents who are 88% white Favorite assisted suicide on the 2012 ballot initiative. While in Lawrence, which is 65% minority, almost three quarters of its residents opposed assisted suicide. White wealthy well insured individuals are generally the ones who want assisted suicide because they get another choice. The poor people of color. The disabled will pay for assisted suicide legislation with their lives. Thanks very much. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you at this time, I would welcome dr john Bar Bara vecchio.
Yes, you can hear me, we can hear you welcome.
JOHN BARRAVECCHIO - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - I'm a physician has been practicing in the Commonwealth since 1982 is a primary care physician and internist and have taken care of people longitudinal in multiple settings, office hospitals, chronic hospital nursing home and rehabilitation settings. I wish to voice my opposition to these bills. I will confine my remarks to issues about physicians ability to prognosticate and the need to effectively accompany our patients in the last stages of their life. Physicians are well aware of their inability to make precise prognostic predictions about a patient's life expectancy. All would agree that these predictions need be made with the greatest caution everyone here, as we've heard, has known, someone who has given.
Who has been given a short interval to live and is nevertheless far outlived it. This common experience should warn us about our ability to give a2031 six month prognosis. Many diseases apparently have a prognosis of less than six months, but individual patients may not truly fit the categories of the studies in the literature and maybe falsely given a short prognosis. Many patients far outlive the six month life expectancy prediction required for hospice care. What patients most need is the commitment of the medical community to offer effective palliative care with a human touch. My experience working as a director of a rehabilitation unit has been that people who have2065 a compassionate physician and engaged community of family and friends are more engaged in living. Than those who feel alone and abandoned.
This is a comment on the necessity of us changing our culture. A recent article in the New York Times magazine by a palliative care physician points out that much of her consultation work provided patients the extensive professional interaction that they craved, which was not being provided by the harried physicians in charge of their care. Often so called advance care planning is altogether too brief to truly understand issues and plan together how to approach them. Research indicates that the requests for physician assisted suicide are unlikely to persist if compassionate supportive care is given. This has been my experience in my years of practice.
What is most critically needed is physician training in support for an expansion of consultative ability and palliative care.2127 There is a bill before the house that would do that. HD 4482 to expand palliative care in the Commonwealth. I would point out as has been already2139 pointed out that the and the AMA and the American College of Physicians, the largest body of internal medicine physicians both oppose physician assisted suicide. Rather than passed this bill under the aegis of options, I would hope that the commonwealth would find the means to truly support the availability of better options for all of our communities. Thank you for your time. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you for your time. Um At this time I would welcome Doctor Dr Mark comrade and then it will be dr Ronald pies
very much. Can you hear it? Can you hear me okay?
MARK KOMRAD - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Thank you. I'm Dr. Mark Komrad. And I'm a psychiatrist and medical ethicist on the teaching faculties at Johns Hopkins University of Maryland and Two lane. And I'm deeply concerned about this legislation. This bill explicitly seeks2198 to avoid the word suicide. Well, George Orwell famously wrote, if thought can corrupt language, then language can corrupt thought. His mental health professionals, no suicide is suicide, whatever the underlying motivation, mental illness, physical pain, fear or despair. And this bill will blur the boundary between acceptable and unacceptable suicide and that will produce two tiers good suicide and bad suicide.
But the ability of doctors to sort out those for whom suicide should be2231 prevented from those for whom it should be provided is not possible at that. This time, no matter what other people who testified have said, this muddle profoundly confuses the message for those on the front line of suicide prevention. The bill would also designate a quote licensed mental health professional to evaluate the mental status of those who apply for assisted suicide. But according to Massachusetts statutes that would include social workers, nurses, marriage counselors, educational psychologists, addiction and rehab counsellors Yet none of these have the training that qualifies them to review complex medical neurological and psychiatric histories or complex issues of competency or vulnerability to coercion.
This is a serious flaw Research from Oregon and Washington also shows that 90% of the2282 time the reasons people request assisted suicide is psychiatric fear, hopelessness, despair, anxiety, the inability to conceive of how they'll cope is their illness progresses. These are all treatable psychiatric issues familiar to anyone who treats suicidal individuals and addressing them lies within the skill set of psychiatrists. Independent, independent of any particular psychiatric diagnosis. Yet mental health or palliative treatment to mitigate those fears is not required by this bill. Every country and state that has legalized these procedures has experienced mission creep despite initial certainty that it wouldn't happen, assisted suicide.
Becomes euthanasia waiting periods are shortened, excluded groups like the mentally ill and those without competency become eligible. And this is not a theoretical worry. Ladies and gentlemen, it is the actual and repeated experience in the living laboratories of Netherlands Belgium in Canada. And even in the US initial restrictions on eligibility methods and waiting periods have already been loosened over2352 time. And I have the documentation to prove that. So I ask this Legislature to advance access to state of the2359 art palliative care and to reject this legislation preserving the role of physicians to cure sometimes relieve often comfort always and if necessary. Get out of the way of natural death but not provide the means for suicide. Thank you very much. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you. Um Next, I'm going to call on dr Ronald Pease And I would just ask folks that if you have um, sounds like somebody has a
okay. Somebody if you have to try to figure out who that is
okay. Um, if you have two different whether you have a phone and a computer logged on, that's usually what that back hearing is. Um once you have testified and your panel is over, I am asking you too please remember to log off but please do come back on through the house website virtually dr Pease Do you have two different things A logged on? It's possible, yes, so this is going to keep happening unless you can log off of one of them, I'll try to log on to try to log on later if
you have to. Um Ok alright if he comes back on we will call him um at this time I would ask that we finished this panel so if you have testified please do log off otherwise our staff is2447 doing that for you but we prefer you do it yourself and um I'm your back dr pies,
you're a new, Can you hear me? Sorry?
This is complicated for all of us,
we'll give him a second.
Okay, as dr Pease is trying to come back on, I'm going to be handing this off to my co chair um Just so folks know we have um I'm joined by my colleague, Senator joe Comerford who is the Senate chair of this committee and um we are both listening. Um even when we are not chairing um but we are taking turns sharing this one's this is one of the longer hearings, I will ask again if you have already testified, please log off2506 because we are about to log you off um and would rather you do it for yourself. Um as I hand this over to my colleague Senator Comerford, I know you've been on listening and I just want to say that really wanting to just appreciate everyone um particularly people in2522 the commonwealth who have been making the time and the effort in the patients to come and share their stories and their testimony with us, it has been incredibly powerful um to hear so many people bear their truths, their experiences and their hopes and really to hear so many people show compassion in their delivery of their testimony, understanding that this is painful for lots of people who may not agree on where this bill should um how this bill should be acted on, but I'm just, I'm overwhelmed and brought to tears um throughout this hearing and really just want to share my gratitude for all of those who have chosen to come on and share their stories and to those of you who submitted2561 testimony. Um We are reading your testimony as well, so thank you Senator Comerford Nice to see you but I know you've been listening because you've been texting me
Madam chair. Thank you so much, I2576 share your, I share your gratitude to constituents2579 from across the commonwealth beautifully said um2582 Madam chair, I just want to do to make sure that I'm picking up at the right place. Are we do to hear from mary lou Ashe are now Yes, that is the next line and I think although I think our staff will communicate, I think I've been able to go back and loop most people in who did not get called on, who weren't when we call them, but came back on and I2604 know the staff has been on, our collective staff is keeping track of that um and we're doing the best we can, but I've also shared with people that if they aren't able to stay on and we call them, we may not get to them at the end, but we've been trying. So thank you completely thank you and thank you to the staff. Absolutely, thank you madam Chair so much. So we'll hear from mary lou Asher and then I'll just call three names now um after mary lou is john gatto, then dr Lewis Cohen, and then reverend Carol Rinehart. Uh So mary lou over to you
steve mary Lewis here.
MARY LOUISE ASHUR - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Okay, thank you, Thank you. My name Mary Louise Ashur I speak against physician assisted suicide. I'm a board certified internist uh in active practice, currently working and teaching at a community health center in Boston During the course of my 30 years as a practicing position. I have taken care of many hundreds of Massachusetts patients at2678 the end of their lives physician assisted suicide advertises that choosing suicide as an act of self determination, promotes autonomy and dignity. This physician assisted suicide debate is promoted by individuals who think the disability and illness are intolerable experiences.
And that somehow patients can escape by physician assisted suicide. The problem with this viewpoint is that it targets people with illness and disability, sending the message that the world would somehow be better off if people with disabilities and illness didn't exist. Anyone who affirms that a human life should2715 be terminated by drugs usurps that patients autonomy by affirming that they should be dead. I support patients through illness and through death. In my day to day work, I'm there to listen, provide comfort, offer resources as people ride the roller coaster of life and talk, I talk to patients families and to their caregivers.
The fact is that the medical community is trained to handle suffering on a physical, emotional and social level. My patients with terminal illness um I know I make their lives more comfortable using home care palliative care are house calls to receive hospice care. Doctors have to predict how2759 long terminally ill patients will live. And despite my years of experience and data for medical research, my own experience shows that patients outlive terminal diagnosis Timelines about 20% of the time. This2773 means that if PAS were to become legal, 20% of the patients would have prematurely ended their lives. Death isn't pretty but death can be dignified and proud. 40% of people who died by assisted suicide in Oregon.
Reported feeling like there were a burden on their families and caregivers as the reason to request lethal drugs, anxiety, fear and social isolation can fuel that, that feeling. But as a doctor and as a daughter, I know that severe illness can provide a chance for relationship building among families, patients, nurses and doctors. Severe illness brings an individual's community together. Physician assisted suicide eliminates the opportunity to build and he'll relationships that can flourish in trying illnesses. Physician assisted suicide is an2827 unfair choice to vulnerable patients. The doctors roll must continue to be care and comfort at the end of life. The doctor patient relationship requires frank dialogue. I urge you to um defeat and do not support these bills. Thank you. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you so much Miss Asher appreciate your testimony. Um thanks to chair Decker for letting me know that Curling far was on and missed an opportunity to testify earlier. So we're going to take you sir. Um and then we'll go back to that list. And that list again is john Lewis and Carole after this gentleman. Thank you very much. Can you hear me? We can.
FARR CURLIN - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - My name is Farr Curlin I'm a palliative medicine physician and I'm speaking in opposition to these bills.2884 I've taken care of Drought patients for the past 20 years. First on the south side of Chicago and then in Durham North Carolina where I'm on the clinical and ethics faculty at Duke University. I ask you to think about the issue of trust. For patients to accept palliative care and to enter hospice. They have to trust medical professionals in these fields. And the fact is that many patients and their families do not trust us and that's particularly true in minority communities.
And why is that? Not long ago, I saw an elderly man with advanced dementia and pneumonia in the emergency department at2930 Duke University, I asked his family if they would consider hospice care and they firmly said no. Why? I asked. They told me something that I've heard in different versions from many people over the years, that is that they had seen others go into hospice among their family members and be quickly put on morphine and the dosages increased rapidly until the patient died. This family expressed a worry that palliative medicine physicians regularly encounter and which keeps people from receiving care from which they could benefit.
People worry that we medical professionals have given up the boundary between accepting the limits of medicine, withholding withdrawing unwanted or non beneficial interventions and intentionally hastening or causing a person's death. Something that physicians have refused to do for millennia. Physicians who care for patients with advanced illness know that both we and our patients will at times be tempted to do away with suffering by doing away with the sufferer. That temptation makes sense of physicians promising in the Hippocratic oath, I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody who asks for it nor will I make a suggestion to this effect.
This boundary is not some arbitrary historical anachronism. The boundary undergirds the trust without which today many patients and their family members will not let us relieve pain and other symptoms as they die. And the boundary gives us physicians the space we need to decisively pal e eight pain and other distressing symptoms. If you legalize suicide assisted suicide, you'll tell the people of Massachusetts that this boundary is no longer sustained here. That will make it harder for patients like the one I described to trust, hospice and palliative medicine physicians. So it will make it harder3047 for them and it's already making it harder for others3050 like them to get the palliative and hospice care they need. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you so much appreciate your testimony. I'm looking for john gatto. Now, john are you available?
Okay, we'll come back to john if we can. Um next up dr Lewis cohen then reverend Carol Rinehart and then I just want to give advance notice to a panel. Um there's a panel of four coming up. Grace Garcia Maria, Rivera Brown nelly kleinerman and Ramona Saleh's um perhaps an alternate instead of Ramona. So we're going to go back to just check for john
Okay, um Lewis Lewis Cohen
Okay, um Reverend Reinhardt.
CAROL RINEHART - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Hello, thank you first of all, thank you senator comfort. And uh as well to all of the uh legislators who are giving their Day for these and to all who have spoken, it's been a very moving Day I'm speaking to urge the passage of the death with dignity bills because they make a more considered choice possible. The hope of dying with self respect and peace would reduce the sense of being a victim of a law that gives no space for compassionate options. Postponing a person's death against their wishes is inhumane. I've spent the last decade or so as a member of a hospice team, I'm convinced that hospice care makes way for far greater human dignity, self respect and peace for the individuals and their families but no one who works in that realm would claim that everyone dies promptly and comfort and with dignity and the death with dignity bill3174 would increase that possibility.
This past year,3179 I was privileged to be with a friend, I'll call her Jill who chose to let her life go by go. She chose to let her life go by stopping eating and drinking. Usually referred to as we said, this is the3194 only legal option in Massachusetts joe was sorely3198 tempted to take matters into her own hands. Legal or not. She had lived in uncontrollable pain for decades with a chronic illness now in her late 80s qualifying for hospice and facing an even more uncontrollable, painful, but slow death? She had finally had it as she struggled. She asked the question, why is it compassionate to put down sick animals but leave human beings to arrive in pain. This courageous and creative woman searched and researched for ways that would leave her loved one's whole and her legacy intact. After much discussion and wrestling with her. God joe came to the peaceful conclusion that this was in no way suicide.
She and the Holy Spirit were in perfect relationship about her choice. She knew in her heart and mind that spirit would hold her through the visa process and keep her soul strong and strengthen her loving partner as he honored her wishes and still misses her desperately. She was indeed at peace with her soul and as she did what she had to do, It took about 10 days. She had no other choice because an impersonal blind law had made the choice. We can do better than this with a more compassionate law. And let me just say quickly if I can3283 before the buzzer rings that I'm very moved, especially by concerns for the people who are suffering from disparate healthcare. That is a very influential thing for me. And if I thought that this law deepened that disparity, I would be much more inclined to question it. My belief is that disparity needs to be addressed and in many, many3307 other ways. Thank you. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you so much reverend appreciate your testimony very much in your service. Um Okay, friends, we're going to go to a panel again. That's grace Maria nelly and Ramona. Before I invite that panel I want to put on deck plane booed risky mary lee shaw. Alan Steinbach and melissa Stacey. So again, going back up to the panel. Grace Garcia, are you here?
I'm here. I'm Maria I was supposed to start so I can start. Yeah, it's up to you. Absolutely. Thank
MARIA RIVERA BROWN - LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Thank you. Chairwoman. Good afternoon everyone. My name is Maria Rivera Brown. I am the state director for the League of United Latin American citizens here in Massachusetts. LULAC is a civil rights organization that was founded in 1929 based out of Washington DC. We have over 1100 counsellor across the US. And Puerto Rico. And LULAC Massachusetts opposes House Bill 2381 and Senate Bill 1384 and Now LULAC has stood up against3379 health care disparities for many years and the bill is presented today what we consider a direct threat not only to our population but also to those with disabilities and our brothers and sisters of color. We believe medicine should be evidence based and preventative.
It should be about healing and prolonging life. All patients deserve the right to the best treatment options for recovery and care. Medical technology and research are highly advanced and many others are only months to3413 a few years away. They represent a cure or relief for many illnesses that are considered terminal today. The bills proposed relief to those terminally ill by providing immediate end to their suffering. But Dr. Lonny Shavelson from California. Chair of the American Clinicians Academy on Medical aid in dying has stated quote. Some patients may speed up the medicines and I have to take them again. You have to understand these are highly evil things. He highly lethal medicine and others may go through the process of dying for days for all of you that think that you're going to take the medication and it's going to be done.
He says It can take up to four days end quote. Additionally, he adds it is advised to have professional support for the family or that the family not be present because the patient may grown and make other disturbing noises. Why would anyone choose the probabilities and assisted suicide when they can have the option of palliative and hospice care where patients are kept comfortable and paying free. The latter is are the options that we support inadequate health care is experienced more acutely by financially poor. The illiterate, the poorly educated non english speakers and those learning to speak English among others. The Hispanic population in general population have people that fall into these categories. They need to be protected instead of providing more options for patients3522 assisted suicide. Alright. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
I'll hand thank you so much.
Thank you. The buzzer can be abrupt. Um I appreciate3531 your testimony. Um Others on your panel. Great Ramona should be next. Oh shut up.
Ramon is warmly welcome.
Hello. Hi, is this Ramona Yes it is. How are you?
RAMONA SALAS - LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Hi, my name is Ramona Salas and I'm the Massachusetts State Deputy director for woman, for the League of United Latin. American Citizens, LULAC. LULAC is the oldest and largest civil organization in America and represents 200,000 voluntary Hispanic members. I have also worked for the city of Boston for 41 years and we had recently retired. I am opposed to the fact neither the national or the Massachusetts state constitution allows for another person to kill or assist to kill another person or authorized another person to kill themselves. This violation is, this is a violation of federal and state criminal law. In Massachusetts officials considered homicides, Massachusetts that's always been known for an unqualified interest in the preservation of human life treatment.
To improve that life is up there yet most important. No one not even a position can determine how long a terminally ill person is able to live determination to survive. May allow someone to live years beyond what is expected. How many times3628 do diseases as cancer? Leukemia go into recession sometimes for years and people recover. A major study in Chicago shows that positions prognosis when predicting a terminally ill patients. Death was only 20% accurate. that means that 80% were misdiagnosed if these persons were referred to assisted suicide. Their lives were be dramatically shortened for the purpose of saving a few dollars. We're Facilitating additional profit for the insurance companies and medical facilities. If a position can be for any person who refuses treatment for terminally ill disease for assisted suicide.
This means people who refuse treatment for diabetes could be referred. In the United States, 34 million people have diabetes. one in 10 have two types of diabetes. If only one person up type two diabetes person through a few treatment, this would mean 3400 people could be sent for assisted suicide. The Hispanic population is under undeserved by the medical community and would suffer unfairly from this practice. Doctors take the Hippocratic oath to treat the L to the best of their ability. The new Hippocratic oath acquisitions to eliminate the personal biases. Come back this information to improve health literacy and be an ally to minority. Another under due to the undeserved groups in society. Having terminally ill people referred to us it up. So assistance sources not being an ally to underserved group. All right, SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
thank you so much for your testimony. Will read anything you send in writing. Um OK, please. Okay. Right
nellie. You're up next Ellie. Yes,
3753 get3753 this is clearly. Mhm. My goodness.
Thank you. Bye. Go ahead.
NELLY KLEINERMAN - LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Hi. Hello. I am Nelly Kleinerman Massachusetts State Treasurer, League of United Latin American Citizens, LULAC. LULAC is the oldest and largest civil organizations in America and represent 200,000 volunteer Hispanics members. I graduate from the Peruvian University in Peru and I have operated my own business As an accountant and tax prepare for 18 years in the United States. LULAC national and LULAC Massachusetts deposits, House bill 2381 Senate bill 1384. A petition must refer a patient to counselling to determine that the patient is not suffering from a psychiatric or psychiatric, psychological disorders or depression causing impaired judgment.
A final region report has to be submitted to the referring physician in regard to the current mental health of the patient and include past medical history. There is no requirement that the mental health professional actually meet in person with a patient. This interview could take place over the phone or even with a caregiver if the patient is suffering from diagnosis, psychiatric or psychological disorder. There is no recommendation for the patient to receive treatment. America has hotline set up throughout how to the country, how the country to help prevent suicide if people are struggling with problems preventing measures are institute to work with the person mental state with psychologists and psychiatrist to understand the symptoms of this temporary conditions.
Why is American spending billions to prevent suicide with teaching coping and problem solving skills, social emotional learning programs, parenting skills and family relations program. To the promote assisted suicide to someone who is terminally ill or is believed to be terminally it preventing suicide required strategy at all levels of society. What's strategy is to strength. Economic support access Essex and delivery of suicidal care and create protective environments which includes the reduction in access to little means among person and risk. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Yeah, Lee Mhm. You get the bell ringing. Um, we've we've just heard the bell a few seconds ago. Um, so we'll read your written testimony and very grateful that you are speaking on this panel. Um, so then finding Grace,
GRACE GARCIA - LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - I'm Grace Garcia and I'm the Massachusetts state director for the elderly for LULAC, Massachusetts LULAC opposes House Bill 2381 Senate Bill 13844 for assisted suicide. What is needed is quality health care for this Hispanic population provided with dignity for everyone. Many Hispanics do not know the language well and will be4005 pressured into assisted suicide without even knowing what they are agreeing to. The Hispanic. People need choices and opportunities to survive and are fast improving medical technology world. The assisted suicide bills4019 are dangerous and discriminatory to the Hispanic population. Assisted suicide policies represents a regression for private and public health insured as it is often forecloses treatment options due to cost considerations in a profit driven health system.
Profit based hospital care stifles fair excess and4043 careful that disadvantaged and vulnerable populations assisted suicide represents a regression in health care by not allowing treatment options due to cost considerations, inadequate health care is experienced more acutely by the financially poor the illiterate, poorly educated, nonimmigrant speechless and those learn to speak English among others. The Hispanic population includes immigrants that fall into these categories that need to be protected assisted suicide endangers disadvantaged diverse populations, often overwhelmed by institutional bias4081 and has widespread implications. And historically racially oppressive society. Massachusetts should consider legislation to define assisted suicide as a crime rather than legalised physician assisted suicide to better protect the vulnerable citizens.
It will be a dangerous decision to decriminalize physician assisted suicide as it will show. The Massachusetts no longer has an interest in protecting and preserving human life. Currently in Massachusetts assisted suicide is considered involuntary manslaughter and is prohibited by common law. These bills will allow certain patients to request lethal drugs from physicians willing to assist and committed suicide. These lethal drugs could get in the wrong hands and be used for wrong but the wrong person as the prescription is filled and picked up by a caregiver or another person. Massachusetts already faces a problem with drug overdoses with use of illegal drugs without a new law providing more assisted suicide is opposed by LULAC’s civil right values disability by advocates. Senior right advocates in the United States Conference of Bishops, among others. Thank you very much Madam Madam Chairman. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Well we thank you and thank you to the lulac panel very, very much for your testimony and time appreciate it very much. Okay, friends. The next list we have Kathleen address key mary lee shaw, Alan Steinbeck melissa Stacey David rolled and then john jefferson Davis. So I'm looking for Kathleen bad rescue please
Kathleen.
Okay um mary Lee sha
Yes I'm here. Very good. Your let me and hear me can thank you so much for being here.
MERRI LEA SHAW - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Okay thank you. Thank you for this opportunity to testify. My name Merri Lea Shaw and I'm testifying in support of an act relative to end of life options. I'm a clinical social worker in private practice in Arlington. Susan Shapiro, my friend and colleague testified before this committee in support of medical aid in dying in 2013, 8 years ago she was ill with stage four ovarian cancer. She died a year and a half later. So I continue to testify on her behalf for myself and for those who suffer needlessly at the end of life. Susan worked as a geriatric social worker and testified from her experience. She said quote
I have worked with many individuals as they4262 were dying how one dies is very personal and unique4265 but the physical aspect of dying becoming debilitated and too often living with pain for many lead to anguish, fear and helplessness long before her cancer diagnosis. Susan and I started volunteering for compassion and choices. We did legislative outreach and public education. We were practising social workers and it with social work values that are excuse me that led us to support medical aid in dying. We emphasised to others4293 that these values are embodied in providing options at the end of life established by the National Association of Social Workers. These social work values are self determination, promoting dignity to autonomy and respect for diversity of experiences and beliefs. When Susan got sick, it became personal.
The ovarian cancer was advanced when it was detected too late to be hopeful about recovery. My friend and colleague with so much energy, passion for life and a great sense of humor Was knocked down. She started saying, I'm scared, scared of not knowing how much time she had scared of facing the inevitable losses in physical pain, scared as the treatments failed and the cancer advanced. In a 2013 testimony, she said quote, I know that my patients wanted to live and I desperately want to live. I did not choose cancer. It chose me. Susan ended her testimony with this request when I am terminally ill and no longer feel that there is inequality in my life. I would like to have the choice of compassionate aid in dying in what I consider a dignified death. The bill did not make it out of committee that year.
In 2015, Susan was hospitalized for the last time and decided to die at home. Family and friends gathered to say goodbye, sharing stories and memories telling her how we would remember her and how much she was loved. But then instead of taking prescribed medication to die peacefully as she had wanted, Susan suffered for days in severe physical pain before her death since Susan's testimony eight years ago, 11 states and jurisdictions have legalized medical aid in dying in Susan's memory and for those who suffer without this option, I urge you4402 to vote favourably and move medical aid in dying forward in Massachusetts. Thank you. I should say that. Uh, when I said students testimony eight years ago, that 11 states and jurisdictions have legalized medical aid in dying.4415 That is not the case because Oregon and Washington were so far so much earlier, but currently there are 11 states, the latest and jurisdictional. Okay, thank you so4425 much. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you. Thank you for keeping students. Susan's memory alive, appreciate your testimony. Um, I'm looking for melissa Stacey, please.
Good afternoon chairwoman Comerford How are you? I'm well, thank you. Thank you for for your testimony. Absolutely.
MELISSA STACY - COMPASSION AND CHOICES - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Chairwoman Decker Chairwoman Comerford and members of the Joint Committee on Public Health. My name is Melissa Stacey. Pronouns as She/Her/Hers. Um and I'm the regional advocacy4457 manager for compassion and choices here in Massachusetts. I am here today, is a resident of Holliston, a queer woman and a passionate advocate to testify in support of this legislation and act relative to end of life options over the past several hours, you've heard from dozens of patients surviving family members, clergy and medical professionals.
About the importance of ensuring every mentally capable terminally ill adult has the option of ending their life as the legislation before you4491 upon passage would allow towards the end of this long day. What we made clear is that, well, some stories opponents have expressed today are compelling and painful to hear. A careful examination reveals that these stories4505 have nothing to do with the legislation we have before us today. Instead, I want to thank you for the time. Uh, you have taken today to have a public hearing dedicated to this legislation. Um, and to hear public opinion on this bill.
I want to thank the committee for listening to Lee Marshall Dr. Roger, Kugler and Larry Molat and their stories to be clear for them, this is a life or4532 death situation and they may not be able to come back next session and testify. The time to act on this legislation is now in closing today. I ask that you think about the testimony that you've heard from terminally ill patients and their loved ones today, that you share the stories you've heard today and the stories you're going to read through written testimony over the weeks to come with your colleagues and your peers and that you make this your cost. I urge you to act now because for many of the patients that you've heard from today, it is already too late. Thank you for your time. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you so much Miss Stacy for your testimony. I appreciate your service. I'm looking for Alan Steinbeck,4575 please.
Ellen.
Okay. Um, how about David ruled please? David, are you here?
Okay. And we're, you know, we're very sorry the date goes long, which is why we try to curtail the time on folks. But sorry for the folks4603 we're going to miss well, read the testimony of everyone who submits it. Um, I'm now looking for dr john jefferson. Davis.
Okay. Um, sorry about that. Uh, you mention.
Okay, I'm now going to read another group of names. Um uh Lawrence burly, Stephen, charette, Gabriel Greenspan.
Those are the next on deck. Uh, Lawrence burly, are you here? Yes, I'm here. Very good. Your testimony is welcome.
LAWRENCE BERLEY - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Thank you. Chairwoman. Um Comerford and Chairwoman. Decker and committee members. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is Lawrence Berley. I retired this past august After 50 years as a psychiatrist. I did my psychiatric residency at Boston State Hospital and worked for the last 20 years at McLean Hospital as well as a private practice. I am4681 opposed to hospital. H 2381 and Senate Bill S 1384. And uh with all due respect to your efforts to create this legislation. Um,. And the feelings of others who supported in my opinion. These bills exhibit a legislative crazy making denial of reality and endanger the lives and civil rights of Massachusetts citizens.
I will give nine points against these bills. One, of the bills falsely label assisted suicide as a medical treatment when it has actually assisted murder and self-murder. Two, the bills would ask doctors to falsify a death certificate by listing the cause of death as the underlying terminal illness, not the suicide. Three, the bills compelled doctors who do not want to participate in a patient's request for assisted suicide to disclose their refusal and force the doctor to refer to someone who would participate. Four, the bill, bills do not require the prescribing physician, nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist to be present, uh nor to provide oversight of the lethal drug administration nor to ensure the patient's decision was voluntary nor to deal with potential side effects that could be associated with prolonged and painful dying.
Five, he bills do4787 not require any witness to attest to the patients physical or mental capacity when the drug was ingested, nor to confirm the drug was self administered, nor to confirm the patient's decision was actually voluntary. Six, although the bills require the physician to refer patients to counseling to determine if they are not suffering from a psychiatric or psychological disorder or depression causing impaired judgment. There is no requirement that the mental health professional actually meet with the patient or that counselling take place in person. In Oregon. 46% of patients seeking assisted suicide changed their minds when they're psychiatrists address suicidal ideation by treating their pain, depression or other medical problems. Seven, passing these bills may lead to a higher suicide rate. I’m finished. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
I'm afraid you have. I know you haven't finished your comments, but please resist them. I know you think thank you so much appreciate your time very much. Thank you. Take good care. Uh I'm looking now for Stephen charette please. Stephen,
how about Gabriel Greenspan?
Okay. All right, friends were moving on now. Um we have a that who is that? This is Gabriel Greenspan. I'm sorry, I needed to unmute myself. No, sorry, please you're warmly welcome. Okay. Yeah.
GABRIEL GREENSPAN - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - So, I wanted to start my comments out with the words of holocaust survivor Eli Wiesel who stated the opposite of love is not hate. It is indifference. And I think I really think of these words when I think of the Misnamed End of Life Options Act, which is before the Legislature. Um as has been noted before the end of Life options Act, does4922 require that um assisted suicide drugs be self administered and so a physician cannot directly administer them. Um However, the bill does allow the physician to quote, contact a pharmacist, inform the pharmacist of the prescription.
And deliver the Britain prescription personally by mail or by otherwise permissible electronic communications to the pharmacist who will dispense the medications directly to either the patient, the attending physician or an expressly identified agent of the patient um as well as assisting the suicide in other ways. And so I do still view this as assisted suicide. Um I do commend the authors of this bill for including safeguards as4966 has been mentioned before, but going with Mr. Weasels, quote, you notice there are two doctors here who are supposed to care for the patients life who are now um judging that they're that they're competent or qualified to end their4981 lives.
You have a mental health professionals who specializes in preventing self harm. Who is the testing, that patient4986 is quote competent, unquote um to commit the worst kind of self harm, namely suicide and further, you have to witnesses who are also turning a blind eye while this patient ends4996 his or her life. And so um you know, whether you want to use the word assisted suicide or not. I5002 mean I think it fits other people don't. The point is you have people who are turning a blind eye when people5008 are are choosing to end their lives and I think that is the most radically unloving thing and it's just it's a terrible, terrible thing as Mr. Russell said. So I'm strongly opposed this bill. I would strongly urge the legislature to vote this down. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you so much for your testimony, appreciate it very, very much. Uh our next um our next panelists, We have a panel of two David, um David from Vermont uh and Betsy Waterman also from Vermont, are you here?
Okay. Um and then I'm going to read another batch of names. We have5058 Murray Lloyd, Lawrence Heidi Tarr Henson. Amory Wallace James5066 Reynolds erin Kathleen Heister. So I'll go back up um Lloyd, are you here?
Okay. Very good. Um Heidi are you here?
Okay. Uh Memory
James, James Reynolds,
erin Kathleen Heister.
Are you here?
Okay. Friends. Um uh It is unbelievable but true that we have come to the, what we believe is the last name on the list. Um So what I'm going to do now is just test to see if there's anyone who is on the call who believed you said signed up or who we didn't get to. Uh just one moment. Who we didn't we didn't get to at the time. You weren't available at the time? We phoned you. So I heard one person say yes. Um And I are you john
ah I'm not sure if I'm that person, but john gatto Yes, I'm mr and I'm Alan Steinbach. Okay. All right. And then Ricky Green walk and I'm Jill ship. I was on a panel. Okay, So we have allen john and Jill anybody else can Brady Patty okay. Ronald settler. I'm sorry, could you say that one work? I'm Ronald. Ronald.
Ronald All right, Ricky Greenwald, john Berkowitz.
Okay, john
john Berkowitz. Uh tell me the other5203 name. Ricky Greenwald, Ricky and
okay. I'm gonna read these names now there is one more name Beverly, Bocelli Beverly but really, I was in the final panel, I thought I was going to be the caboose here you
may be right just give me a second now Friends. I'm. I'm going to read the names of the folks who I think are still yet to testify. So we patty allen, john Jill Ronald another john. So there's two johns. This is john Berkowitz um, the second one Ricky and Beverly right. Is anyone else?
Okay. All right, so we have um, we have uh eight folks remaining to testify. You are warmly welcome. I'm just going to go with patty first patty please.5269 Your testimony is welcome. Great! Thank you so much. I'm sorry patty and everybody when you testify, please say your full name so we can make sure to record it accurately.
Great. It's Patty Gambarini and I'm from East Hampton Massachusetts. I so you know, I could not get5288 my name change with my professional affiliation. I am not speaking, I'm speaking as an independent resident. That's fine. We totally understand uh, teams interface. We don't, we don't record, we won't record your organization. Thank you for noting that
PATTY GAMBARINI - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - I'm reading for my dad who passed in April at the age of 98 At the last hearing you held on a related bill in 2019. He made the long journey by car from his studio in East Hampton to Beacon Hill. Thanks to his good friend, Jaime5323 Jaime Alvarez who is still able to drive my dad never got to speak at that hearing though. He sat long hours in5331 the hall. So today I would like to say the words. My dad had wanted5336 you to hear that in support of the end of life options bill. Up until his last days. He talked passionately about the importance of choice on the threshold of death. It was his5349 dying wish that this law passed.5351 I hope I can do his words justice. So this is what he wrote.
I am Tito Gambarini. I am 96 years old. I was a surgeon for 45 years, 10 practicing in Buenos Aires and 35 in Hartford Connecticut. I've been a resident of East Hampton Massachusetts now for five years in the beginning of cardiac surgery there were great demands and5380 certainly lots of learning. I saw a lot of suffering but that was an age when men kept silent about those emotions. I retired in my late 60s to become a student of art at Rizvi. After some years of enjoyment visiting Europe with my wife Elsa and seeing the work of modern masters and participating in multiple exhibits. I developed three cancers in my seventies stomach prostate and then bladder. I received treatment for all these cancers at mass General Hospital in Boston.
The doctors there saved my life and I enjoyed many years of remission since. In 2010, my beloved wife Elsa was diagnosed with an aggressive ovarian cancer surgery, Chemotherapy. Nothing could really control the spread of her disease. Her life ended with incredible suffering with palliative efforts helping only somewhat. Seeing her suffering was incredibly painful for me. I could do nothing except request more morphine to make her a little comfortable. Shortly after else's death. I was diagnosed with multiple metastases in my spine and pelvis. I take chemotherapy medications to control the spread of disease and up until recently it has been working well as an old physician.
I know my inevitable exit is coming and he said that often I'm here to urge you all to pass the end of life options act that will enable death with dignity and choice for terminally ill patients to avoid the suffering that might else endured. All of us should have a choice when we know we are near and my gratitude to John Berkowitz who has been so active on this issue driven by his passion for helping people. Um many thanks to Senator Comerford for introducing the Senate bill and to Representative Dan Carey a sponsor of the House bill. Thank you all for hearing me today SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Patty, thank you so much. I'm so sorry your father didn't get to deliver that testimony um at the last hearing. Um we would have loved to have heard from him. So you do him a great honor today bustling through this platform uh for him. Um thank you so much. I'm looking for Allen now, Alan, great, can you5537 hear me? We can and you're welcome to testify.
ALLAN STEINBACH - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - I'm Allan Steinbach. I live in Woods Hole Massachusetts. I'm a family practice physician. I'm 80 years old. I've sat with many people in the disabled community here and other places. And rather than telling you that the testimony I sent in, I want to address that particular issue because it's the one I feel almost heart. Most the disabled community is absolutely right. We do not have a level playing field. We need so much change in access, access to medical care isn't possible for many of the people and the disabled and other abled communities. But what we also need is to move in all directions as visionaries like martin Luther King realized when they realized that racism was not the only problem.
There was a problem with how we treated everyone in the world. What I'm hoping for is that people will be able to see past their immediate needs and the real needs of both the disabled and the abled community for much better, much better access to health care. But that is not a reason to keep the suffering going for those people who would benefit by medical aid in dying. Look clearly at the record here and in the world, this is not a tool of abuse. This is a tool to move forward. The agenda of autonomy of serving the needs of people when those needs become visible and painful and unendurable. And that's what I want to be able to do as a doctor. I urge you to pass this bill out of committee and thanks to the chairs and the members of the5656 committee for sticking with us. I'm done. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you so much. Alan um,5663 for your testimony. Uh, and um, and your passion. I'm going to go now to john Gatto please, john I thank you.5674 Unfortunately, the timing is such. My dog started barking at the same time, which I apologize, but uh,
JOHN GATTO - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Uh, my name is John Gatto. I'm here to testify in favor of the bill for end of life options. In 2014, my husband, Arthur Shirk was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, or IPF. IPF is a disease where the lungs gradually filled with scar tissue and become unable to transfer oxygen. Um, it's basically akin to long, slow suffocation. Art was a brilliant, courageous, enthusiastic man. I tell you these things because I want you to know that fear was not part of his life. He traveled the world leading programs on leadership development and personal growth. He had three master's degrees and a doctorate. Not because he cared about degrees, but because he had this endless passion for learning and understanding the world and the people in it. Even after having heart disease, he ran triathlons and hiked the Andes.
He was a professional skater and a, a state diving champion. He had no room for fear in his life. His only fear came after his diagnosis when he imagined a long, slow, degrading, painful death as much as he wanted to live his remaining days fully and freely. He spent a good chunk of it combing the internet trying to figure out ways to have a way out if his suffering became too much. He got friends to gather helium tanks, He got drugs from Mexico. He did all of this alone because he lived. The other fear he lived with is that I would be held criminally responsible if I supported his attempt to end his life in any way. So imagine somebody you love at the end of their life alone, not only dealing with their illness but planning alone how they might end their life. We only had one argument during the course of his illness, that last word 2.5 years.
And that argument was one day when he told me he felt like the end might be nearing but5810 he couldn't tell me when or where because he was trying to protect me. So I had to live wondering every day if I would come home and find him under a helium tank dead at his desker in our bed. I feel like no culture that values human life and human dignity. Can put people in such circumstances that the most sort of tender and vulnerable time in our life. The5836 law drove us apart. Um rather than give us choices that allowed for a peaceful, a peaceful and dignified and I'm not here because I don't think my husband or I should be impacted by death. Of course we all are. But I'm here because I don't think we should be uh denied opportunities for compassion and dignity at the end of life. Thank you. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you so much for your testimony. What a beautiful life your husband. Right? Um thank you. I am looking now for Jill.5877
I'm here. Can you hear me now? Good Kanye,
JILL SCHIFF - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Thank you. Um Chairwoman women, Comerford and Decker Thank you so much for the opportunity to support the Massachusetts End of life options act. My name is Dr. Jill Schiff. I'm a board certified specialist in internal medicine and I practiced primary care medicine in Boston for 35 years. I'd like to share with you an example of why patients need medical aid in dying as an end of life option. As a member of the medical staff at a major Boston teaching hospital, I admitted a patient whom I had diagnosed with end stage metastatic pancreatic cancer. She was suffering with severe abdominal pain. I started her on a standard pain medication but the pain persisted. I increased the dose repeatedly and rotated the opioids with no improvement. Then I added a cocktail of pain medications with other mechanisms of action, but the pain remained unbearable. She continued to be conscious and in agony.
Finally, the enormous doses of morphine that she required had exhausted the hospital supply and shipments of morphine were brought in from other area hospitals yet she was still racked with pain throughout this process on a daily basis. Both the patient and her daughters pleaded with me asking isn't there something you can do to end5967 her misery. I felt helpless. I was standing by while my patient was forced to endure excruciating pain in doing so. I keenly felt that I was violating the fundamental medical precept to first do no harm. Finally, after two weeks of suffering she died. I share her story as an example of the 25% of all patients with pain5995 who despite taking opioids die with unrelenting pain, most of them due to end stage cancer. In fact, the majority of patients who choose medical aid in dying or dying from end6007 stage cancer.
I should it should also be noted that contrary to the previous testimony today, 85% of patients requesting medical aid in dying in Oregon are already enrolled in hospice care. But the hospice care was they felt inadequate. My patient, my patients wish to be with her daughters conscious and alert for as long as as was possible, was her deepest desire. She didn't want to be sedated into a coma because she saw saw no point in that type of life just having the option of medical aid in dying would have relieved her anxiety and allowed her daughters to celebrate her life instead of having to witness her agonising death. So, for the sake of cancer patients who want the option. Well there please support the end of life options. Act Thank you. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you Jill so much for your testimony and your work. Thank you. I'm looking for Ronald please. I Ronald
RONALD BRETELER - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Hi senator comfort representative Decker and members of the committee. My name is Ronald Breteler. I'm from6083 Austria for Massachusetts. My testimony is in support of legislation in to allow and apply of options. Following is a story of why this bill is so important to me. Dr. Wendy Nelson was an active member for a community and my wife and best friend for 43 years When they got sick. Around mid 2015, she first noticed the lack of sensation, parts of her face and later that year she developed an intense pain in her head that no medication could alleviate. She suffered a difficult brain surgery where the health troubles that only just begun.
In 2016, she suffered a near fatal pulmonary embolism and had open heart surgery which calls such intense being that you confessed for the first time to us that you might prefer death over living about a month later on top of it all, she was diagnosed with the very rare form of cancer, traveled along nerves of her head, gradually killing her eyesight, her hearing, birth taste, and any feeling on the left side of her face and with it enjoyment of life, she underwent intense chemo radiation therapy and for a while after that her life is tolerable and she made the best of it Sadly. In the spring of 2018 her cancer returned for the Vengeance.
6162 She6162 spent more weeks in the hospital was eventually thought that Higgins was untreatable, recognizing there was no longer any hope for recovery or enjoyment of life shipping. Very despondent being a lifelong support of the right of terminally ill people to end the suffering medical aid in dying. She herself is now suffering terribly without any hope of recovery. And she spent the last six weeks of her life at home on the hospital care, fully dependent on myself and caregivers. She became increasingly irrational. But during times of mental clarity, she asked me to take her term for months where she fantasized that she might be allowed to die die peacefully.
She also asked me and our kids several times if you could please here for an overdose of morphine, we were torn but we knew we could not legally do that even though we supported and wish to enter suffering6216 no family should face such a6219 horrible choice. Dying is often all about the suffering. It doesn't need to be end of life story could have been much more positive6228 for her and her loved ones. If she had been allowed to choose her manner of her own passing. This bill has been before the legislature for many years for6238 herself and many other terminally ill people. I implore you to act and vote this important bill out of committee. Thank you, SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you so much for your testimony and sharing your web story and your family story.
Sorry.
Um, I'm going to move now to john berkowitz john
yes, thank you. Uh, I'm the director of Massachusetts death with dignity and I'm glad to have this opportunity. Six hours after I was first called on but technical difficulties, I couldn't do it. You are hearing me now right, we can hear you. I'm so sorry for your trouble earlier.
JOHN BERKOWITZ - MASSACHUSETTS DEATH WITH DIGNITY - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Okay, thank you. I'm pleased to say that Dr. Gambarini whose daughter you just heard from became a close and inspiring friend in his final years and even in his final weeks in hospice care And we considered him kind of at dying at age 98,6301 1 of our6302 elder statesman and states women of the campaign to pass medical aid in dying legalize it here in Massachusetts. I just want to lift up the voices of a couple of other people who couldn't be on the call today. One is Jerome Methley who lives in debt. Um, at the ripe young age of 96 he writes this 96 a retired lawyer from did. Um, I know full well that our lawmakers need to do all they can to ease
Excuse me is the medical and economic pain of the COVID-19 crisis for our citizens. But I believe they could also provide relief from suffering for many people who are terminally ill with other diseases like cancer and are facing extreme pain at the end of their life. These two priorities are not mutually exclusive Over the years, I've lost a beloved wife, parents, siblings and friends despite the best medical and hospice care. Some people before death suffer unwanted and unrelieved pain and deep emotional anguish. My accomplishments, whether professional political6369 or in the social sphere are largely irrelevant except for identification, what I want for myself. I want for everyone else, what I deserve every other human deserves.
And the next voice I'd like to raise was also called on earlier but couldn't stay on the meeting. Stanley Hantman from Middleton Massachusetts. I believe he's 87 lost his wife to pancreatic cancer. He has been an active supporter of our campaign, spoken with, I think three different legislators in6400 his area and he would have, he would have testified. And lastly, um a woman named Jacqueline Madonna from Amherst Massachusetts died in hospice care. But in her final two weeks contacted our organization uh made a written statement which has been submitted, also made a three minute video recorded a video with her sister by her side calling for passage of this bill. And that has also been submitted and hopefully we'll be able to be viewed by the committee members. So I appreciate your time, appreciate this long hearing and very moving one. Thank you. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you so much, john appreciate your work and service and leadership on this issue. Uh, and absolutely just rest assured for everyone that thank you to the staff for the tireless work. Everything gets read and viewed. Um, and we're very grateful to have the opportunity to read the written testimony. Um, the next person is Ricky Ricky. I see you on my screen here. Thank you for the opportunity to testify. It's a long day for those of you who have been here the whole time. Well in for you. Well, I've been coming and going anyway.
RICHARD GREENLAND - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Um, I wanted to address some6487 things that a number of opponents have raised, which is that, um, opposing the bill on behalf of marginalized people, whether that's people of color or people with disabilities. And as somebody who has done quite a bit of work in support of marginalized people. I don't think this bill addresses the problems of medical care for marginalized people. One way or another, I think we have a lot of work to do to provide better medical care, better economic opportunity, etcetera. But I don't think this bill is relevant to that. Um, so it, um, I guess I'm providing some of the same testimony as everybody else except that it hasn't happened yet.
My mother is 89. I6541 haven't lost her yet. Will soon. She has said for decades that she wants to have control over her death. She doesn't want to be stuck suffering. She doesn't want to be a burden. She has the money. She doesn't want to be a burden. That's her right. That doesn't mean that you can patronize her and say that she doesn't have that, right? This is her, right. Um Yeah and yeah. So what am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to go to Mexico and pay the right people off and get the drugs? Am I supposed to get a gun and shoot her in the head? She doesn't want me to do that. It's messy and she was afraid I'll end up in jail. And yet this is my mother, you know, she had cancer a few months ago.
It's better now. It will get worse again. So um you know we've all we've already heard from a lot of people that we have failed by allowing some people's religion to impose on other people were Jewish. We're not catholic. I don't have anything against Catholics but we shouldn't have a catholic law preventing my family from following our own values and our own religion. And we have a different, very different idea about what death should look like. This is a state. We're not supposed to be mixing church and state. And I really hope that this law gets passed quickly so that I don't6628 have to choose between letting my mother down or breaking the law. Thank you. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you very much for your testimony very much. Uh Beverly.
I know you're on because you are here. Okay.
It's getting dark here in Southeastern mess. Yeah dirt. Um I will do this as quickly as I can, but I patiently waited all day.
BEVERLY BACCELLI - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Okay, so my name is Beverly Baccelli and I'm a lifelong resident of Greater New Bedford. I'm also a member of the disability community. I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at age 27 and then I was diagnosed 13 years ago at age 59 with multiple myeloma, which is an incurable, progressive bone marrow cancer. So now I'm 72 and still living with those diseases and still being treated. And I'm fortunate to have all the abilities that I need to lead an active, healthy life, hard work determination, excellent medical care. The unending support of my wife and our friends and a great deal of luck goes into this. Um it's got me this far, but I'm grateful for every6716 day that I have the quality of life that I do. However, let's go to the next paragraph.
After almost 50 years of making health care decisions for myself I'm horrified at the prospect of being unable to specify the manner and timing of my death when that time should be near and inevitable. After five decades of independence, I feel that being denied this final decision is infantilizing in6746 disregards my individual will in my professional life is a clinical social worker and in my personal life with family members and friends, I've witnessed the pain and suffering of individuals at the ends of their lives. The lack of control over timing and the means of one's death when that death is unavoidable and6765 imminent is cruel and unusual punishment to the extreme. He hasn't been fed yet. Many of us have lived for years with a variety of disabilities arranging and rearranging our lives around these challenges to be told.
When faced with a6781 terminal diagnosis that we can't do the same thing is the ultimate insult. So a person who was already facing death this act relative to the end of life options would provide for all mentally capable terminally ill Massachusetts residents the option to make that final decision for themselves and their families. And I'd like to add one more thing. And that is that when I was excuse me when I was diagnosed with cancer, I came up with a rubber hammer list, which was if I really got so6815 bad, my wife was to hit me over the head with a rubber hammer and throw me down the stairs. Um, I don't want to have to do that and she says she won't. So it is. I think important for this bill finally to get out of this committee and go to a floor vote and all of us are going to do the best we can to get it passed. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you.
Never thank you. Um, thank you so much for sharing your story and your call to action. Um, so courageously. Um, and with such depth, you're welcome. Thank you. And I'm sorry. It's nearly dark in Southeastern Massachusetts. I didn't go swimming either, but that's ok. This was worth it. Cindy here and listening all day was absolutely worth it.6867 Thank you again. It was one of the most extraordinary days. I know chair decker thinks the same thing. I see you nodding. Thank you Beverly. I'm just going to see there's a hand raised for a number 617625.
Is this someone who thinks that you you should still testify
even? Mhm Kids, Can you hear me? You can't hear you.
Well, I've been having a hard time with my video. I can't make it work. Hello? It's totally fine. And it's two of us, I guess. Okay. Yeah. Which person do you want first? I'm going to take the first gentleman who was speaking and then we'll go to you and then we'll close the hearing. All right,
LUIS MORALES - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Okay. My name is Luis Morales and when I filled out the form that we had to fill out to be part of this, I included my testimony um some years back. Um I'm from el Salvador and my father used to live in El Salvador at6943 the time and he got sick. He got Syros is and uh uh to the point that his levels of ammonia would6954 increase and he will lose touch with reality. And we had some professionals back in El Salvador suggesting us to practice exactly what you guys want to pass. And um we're nine in the family and we all disagree with the suggestion. So um he got very very sick. He was under a lot of pain, but he never wanted to, he never wanted us to you6992 know, do what our friends were suggesting which was to terminate his life.
And uh so he got so sick that my mother called me.7003 He said He's going to live according to the experts between a week and two weeks. So um7009 I had to fly from Boston to El Salvador and where we're christians. And when I got there with my wife, the first thing I did was go to his room, he didn't know who I was. Um And uh So we went to bed that night and like around 12 a.m. uh well before 12, like7033 around 11 we went to his room and we prayed for him And like around 12 midnight uh scream came out of his room and it went from his room through7046 our room and it flew away like it disappeared. Uh and I got up and I ran to my father's room and he was awake and he recognized me and he's his son welcome. And the following day he was a lot better and uh I bought a ticket, brought him to Boston And we managed to get two years um out of you know, two more years for him to live.
Those two years were very crucial. Uh He got to meet my daughter, my son. They were little at the time They spend we all spend most of us with the exception of two brothers um are here in Boston. So we spend quality time with my father. Um uh he there were some disagreements with one of the brothers. He managed to to talk to the brother and bring peace to the whole family. Um he managed to get an attorney to transfer everything to to my mother to save us a lot of headaches and uh after two years you know and a lot of a lot of things we we accomplished in those two years. I mean he was, he had a lot of wisdom so we you know we managed to get out of7140 him as much as we could. And finally um it came to a point that you know he died and if he if we had practice what the people are proposing you know I, we would have wasted a ton of you know quality time and knowledge from my father. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, thank you for your testimony. I appreciate it and I'm glad you shared it in written form. Okay there is another person on the phone. Yes my name is john Robinson please john
JOHN ROBINSON - CONCERNED CITIZEN - HB 2381 - SB 1384 - Thank you very much for letting me testify. I'm 72 years of age. I live in Somerville Massachusetts. I oppose all physician assisted suicide bills. I was born premature which resulted in retinopathy of prematurity. I am legally blind in one eye and visually impaired in the other. I assisted suicide is not a social solution. In the reality of the global coronavirus pandemic and I'll just7211 make three short points one, seniors and people with disabilities are not getting quality long term and palliative care like quality in home care and psychological support services that they need. They are being forced into nursing homes against their will, experiencing poverty and segregation in the process happened to my family.
My mother, my mother is heartbreaking experience Within a nursing home where she did not receive the quality of care and support services that she needed is an example of one and my father had to sell the family home in order to afford the7256 rent for a room in assisted living. Point two, economics are in the background of the right to die movement. Money is being valued over people in the health care system, managed care corporations Rationing health care costs under the guise of cost containment. Point three there is a direct link between physician assisted suicide and efforts to reduce health care spending on poor sick, elderly and disabled people. Please vote no to physician assisted suicide. Please vote no to prescription medicine side. Thank you. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you so much for your testimony. Um and for being welcome. Thank you at the end of a long day friends, I do believe that this brings this hearing on end of life options to close. Um I started the hearing by saying how grateful I was to chair for the senate side, the Joint Committee on Public Health um with my esteemed colleague chair Decker Um that's the way I'd like to end this hearing and welcome you chair, Decker to say any closing words should you want
um Madam Chair, I just want to say thank you and I want to thank the staff have done an incredible job in helping us to put this together. And really the biggest thanks goes to um so many residents in Massachusetts who contributed their incredibly heartfelt stories and um really just appreciate the chance to be part of this. Thank you. Well said, I also appreciate the chance to be part of this hearing. I appreciate the incredibly thoughtful testimony again. We started by saying it was along the continuum of this bill. This bill is a complicated bill and there were many people who weighed in today um along every different part of it, and we're grateful for it. We're smarter because of it. Um7384 and thank you for taking the time to participate. You make the legislature better when you include your voice in this process. Um so friends. Um without further ado at 321 today, I am going to um bring this hearing to a close the hearing is now adjourned. Please take good care of yourself.
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