In searching for the euphemistically-named End-of-Life Options Act, a link came up to a page in the MA state laws about palliative care. Here are some concerning excerpts from Massachusetts General Laws Title XVI, Chapter 111, Section 227.
If a patient is diagnosed with a terminal illness or condition, the patient’s attending health care practitioner shall offer to provide the patient with information and counseling regarding palliative care and end-of-life options appropriate for the patient, including, but not limited to:
- the range of options appropriate for the patient;
- the prognosis;
- risks and benefits of the various options; and
- the patient’s legal rights to comprehensive pain and symptom management at the end-of-life.
The information and counseling may be provided orally or in writing…the attending health care practitioner may arrange for information and counseling under this section to be provided by another professionally qualified individual.
If the attending health care practitioner is not willing to provide the patient with information and counseling under this section, the attending health care practitioner shall arrange for another physician or nurse practitioner to do so or shall refer or transfer the patient to another physician or nurse practitioner willing to do so.
I’ve added the emphasis on the language with which Catholic hospitals would never comply should assisted suicide be legalized. Similar language is in the bill. Section 15 is Provider Participation. After stating clearly that participation is voluntary, it then requires a referral to someone who will.
- describe the mechanism the provider will use to provide patients a referral to another provider or provider in the provider’s service area who is willing to perform the specific health care service;
- describe the provider’s policies and procedures relating to transferring patients to other providers who will implement the health care decision
If you have been following the vaccine debates, you will be familiar with what the problem is here. This is forcing clinicians into proximate material cooperation with evil. That makes one guilty of the immoral act. It is non-negotiable.
They know that.
Nature and dignity 