Dear Governor: Protect patients, veto assisted suicide (Opinion)

Assemblyman Chris DePhillips and Assemblywoman Serena Dimaso are fighting the good fight.

They know that the bill that passed the NJ legislature encouraging a choice of suicide over suffering will lead to unnecessary and potentially premature deaths. They know that if a patient changes their mind after being given the death concoction, they may get denied treatment by their insurance company. They know that doctors diagnoses and prediction on life expectancy may be wrong.

In the case of Chris's dad, he was given ten years, then 24 hours, then a few weeks. He lived for five more years and welcomed three grand kids into the world. As I mentioned to Chris during our conversation this morning, survivors who jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge immediately regretted the decision.

Perhaps one of the worst part of the bill is the pressure of compliance for Docs and Pharmacists who take their oath to "do no harm" seriously. There's no real way for them to opt-out. So the bill is bad at every level. It empowers insurance companies to fund the cheaper death option. Conflicts with the oath Docs take. Creates an easy path to a permanent, irreversible decision from a patient at their lowest emotional state. It's bad policy.

At least Chris and Serena understand that even if they can't stop the law, they will respectfully request the governor acknowledge and accept certain changes. Sadly, the Governor is unlikely to listen.

Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015. Tweet him @NJ1015 or @BillSpadea. The opinions expressed here are solely those of Bill Spadea.

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