Take Action: Opposing Physician Assisted Suicide

As Catholics, we are called to defend all life, including the ill and elderly.  

The American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates has resolved to reconsider the AMA's position on Doctor-Prescribed Suicide from "against" to "neutral".  From Nov. 12-15 an open forum will be held in Orlando, FL, by the AMA Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs to hear delegates speak out against this issue and others. 

In the past, when state medical associations have changed their position on this issue, a change in the state law allowing for Doctor-Prescribed Suicide quickly followed. If the AMA does change their position it is a real possiblitiy that the federal law will allow it very soon after. Physician assisted suicide is already legal in Oregon, Washington, Vermont and California, and has some legal protection in Montana.

The USCCB urges all individuals, physicians and organizations to write to the AMA contacts listed below, pleading them to stop this change and to maintain a position against Doctor-Prescribed Suicide. 

To all physicians: please contact your AMA delegates and associates who will represent their state of society at the House of Delegates meeting in Nov. 2016 and June 2017 and urge them to oppose this change on the open forum in Orlando on Nov. 12-15.

Dr. Andrew W. Gurman, MD
President, American Medical Association
330 N Wabash, Ste 43482 Chicago IL 60611-5885
312.464.5618 ph --- 312.464.4094 fx
[email protected]

Bette Crigger, PhD
Secretary, Council on Ethical and Judicial
Affairs (CEJA), American Medical Association
330 N Wabash, Ste 43482 Chicago IL 60611-5885
312.464.5223 ph --- 312.224.6911 fx 
[email protected]

Please share this alert with as many people as possible, and please pray the Holy Spirit is present and is heard at this forum.