California doctors uneasy about prescribing lethal drugs
A number of doctors in California say they feel uneasy about prescribing life-ending drugs for the terminally ill under a new law that goes into effect June 9.
Some have already told their patients they are not willing to play a role in intentionally ending a life. Catholic hospitals will not provide the prescriptions because it goes against the church’s stance on the issue.
California has more safeguards than the other four states where the drugs are allowed. Still there are concerns it will lead to hasty decisions, misdiagnosis, and even waning support for palliative care, in which dying people can be sedated to relieve their suffering.
How it plays out in the country’s most populous state could determine whether it spreads nationwide.
