PROPOSED SAFEGUARDS
FOR
LIFE-ENDING DECISIONS


{alternative title for this section of the Safeguards Website:}

AN ORGANIZED CATALOG OF PROPOSED SAFEGUARDS

    This 'room' offers about 35 proposed safeguards
for making medical decisions that will result in the patient being dead.

   Since the following list of safeguards might seem overwhelming,
we should remind ourselves that only some of these proposed safeguards
will be required by any law that includes safeguards.
And if a law merely suggests possible safeguards,
this will allow the people who are planning a voluntary death or a merciful death
to choose the most appropriate safeguards for their specific end-of-life situation.
Also, some safeguards would be incompatible with others on this list.
Thus, even in the use of safeguards, choices must be made.
Which of the following proposed safeguard-procedures
would create the greatest benefits while imposing the lightest burdens?

    Such a selection has already been made by the author of this summary:
The 26 recommended safeguards are listed here:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/aws-website-jamesleonardpark---freelibrary-3puxk/SG-A-Z.html

    Some of these safeguards were originally published in a small book called
Ten Safeguards for Life-Ending Decisions, 1995.
These safeguards have been modified and expanded ever since.
The 26 recommended safeguards form the core of a new book
called How to Die: Safeguards for Life-Ending Decisions.
Additional safeguards may be suggested by anyone in the world.

    All safeguards are open to re-formulation.
Suggestions for improvements are welcome.
Even the name of each safeguard might be improved.
What benefits will be assured by this safeguard?
What new problems will be created by this safeguard?

   Most laws and proposed laws do not explain their safeguards.
Rather they depend on brief definitions and short phrases.
Thus, these extended explanations of the safeguards
might become parts of the debates about safeguards for life-ending decisions.
As a beginning, here is a listing of some existing laws and proposed laws
with links to the safeguards they use:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/aws-website-jamesleonardpark---freelibrary-3puxk/SG-LAWS.html

    And where safeguards are already applied,
we will benefit from reports of how well (or how poorly)
each specific safeguard has worked in practice.

    As the decades unfold, articles will be written
about the use of safeguards for life-ending decisions.
Examples of such articles might be:
What safeguards did Jack Kevorkian use?
The best ways to incorporate safeguards into state and national laws.
How would particular safeguards have changed
famous cases concerning the right-to-die?



    SAFEGUARDS TO BE FULFILLED BY PHYSICIANS
        AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANTS

       PHYSICIAN'S STATEMENT OF CONDITION AND PROGNOSIS
           
       INDEPENDENT PHYSICIAN REVIEWS THE CONDITION AND PROGNOSIS

       INFORMATION ABOUT PALLIATIVE CARE
                 AND OTHER ALTERNATIVES TO DEATH

       HOSPITAL OR HOSPICE ENROLLMENT

       STATEMENTS WRITTEN BY HOSPITAL OR HOSPICE STAFF MEMBERS

       PALLIATIVE CARE TRIAL

       CERTIFICATION OF TERMINAL ILLNESS OR INCURABLE CONDITION

       PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSULTANT EVALUATES
               THE PATIENT'S ABILITY TO MAKE MEDICAL DECISIONS

            
       AN INSTITUTIONAL ETHICS COMMITTEE REVIEWS THE PLANS FOR DEATH

      
PHYSICIANS REVIEW THE COMPLETE DEATH-PLANNING RECORDS

       PHYSICIAN AGREES TO PROVIDE LIFE-ENDING CHEMICALS

       SPECIFICALLY-LICENCED TERMINAL-CARE PHYSICIAN
              AGREES TO PROVIDE LIFE-ENDING CHEMICALS



    SAFEGUARDS TO BE FULFILLED BY THE PATIENT

       THE PATIENT MUST BE AN ADULT RESIDENT OF THE STATE

       ADVANCE DIRECTIVE FOR MEDICAL CARE

       REQUESTS FOR DEATH FROM THE PATIENT

       INFORMED CONSENT FROM THE PATIENT

       UNBEARABLE SUFFERING

       UNBEARABLE PSYCHOLOGICAL SUFFERING
      
       WAITING PERIODS FOR REFLECTION

       OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PATIENT
                TO RESCIND OR POSTPONE THE LIFE-ENDING DECISION

       THE PATIENT MUST BE CONSCIOUS AND ABLE TO ACHIEVE DEATH

       NOTIFY FAMILY OF LIFE-ENDING DECISION
      



    SAFEGUARDS TO BE FULFILLED BY PROXIES FOR THE PATIENT
        AND/OR FAMILY MEMBERS

       FAMILY MEMBERS DISCUSS THE LEVEL OF PERSONHOOD IN THE PATIENT

      
REQUESTS FOR DEATH FROM THE PROXIES

       STATEMENTS FROM FAMILY MEMBERS
                AFFIRMING OR QUESTIONING CHOOSING DEATH

       STATEMENTS FROM ADVOCATES FOR DISADVANTAGED GROUPS
                 IF INVITED BY THE PATIENT AND/OR THE PROXIES




    SAFEGUARDS TO BE FULFILLED BY MEMBERS OF THE CLERGY

       A MEMBER OF THE CLERGY APPROVES OR QUESTIONS CHOOSING DEATH

       RELIGIOUS OR OTHER MORAL PRINCIPLES
                APPLIED TO THIS LIFE-ENDING DECISION


   


    SAFEGUARDS TO BE FULFILLED BY THE PROSECUTING AUTHORITY
       AND OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND COMMITTEES
      
       REVIEW BY THE PROSECUTOR (OR OTHER LAWYER)
                BEFORE THE DEATH TAKES PLACE


       CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR CAUSING PREMATURE DEATH

       MONITORING COMMITTEE OF DIVERSE CITIZENS




    SAFEGUARDS TO BE FULFILLED BY THE DEATH-PLANNING COORDINATOR

       COMPLETE RECORDING AND SHARING
                OF ALL MATERIAL FACTS AND OPINIONS

       KEEPING GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, THE MEDIA,
                & OTHERS STRANGERS OUT OF THE LOOP

       THE DEATH-PLANNING COORDINATOR ORGANIZES THE SAFEGUARDS



Created November 2006; Revised 11-24-2006;
1-3-2007, 1-17-2007, 1-19-2007, 1-23-2007; 1-24-2007; 1-25-2007;
2-13-2007; 2-17-2007; 3-1-2007; 3-2-2007; 3-8-2007; 3-18-2007;
4-13-2007;
8-23-2007; 9-26-2007; 10-3-2007;
4-4-2008; 6-17-2008; 8-26-2008; 9-9-2008;
2-12-2010; 12-31-2011; 2-3-2012; 4-8-2012; 12-1-2015; 1-11-2019;



A CATALOG OF
 WORRIES, PROBLEMS, DANGERS, PERILS, ABUSES, & MISTAKES

POSSIBLE UNDER ANY SYSTEM PERMITTING CHOSEN DEATH

    This is a collection of the objections and challenges
raised by opponents of the right-to-die.
Each worry about mistakes and abuses
is linked to those specific safeguards above,
which would best prevent those dangers and avoid those perils.




links for lawmakers

A Facebook Group has been established for 
Right-to-Die Legislators.
When any member of a law-making body anywhere on Earth
has created a proposal for a new health-care law or regulation
that permits more choices at the end of life,
a link can be offered to this Facebook Group.

Safeguards for life-ending decisions
as found in various laws and proposals for laws.


Replacing Laws Against 'Assisting Suicide'

How to Die: Safeguards for Life-Ending Decisions
See especially PART SIX:
CHANGING LAWS CONCERNING THE RIGHT-TO-DIE

Portal for the Right-to-Die

Quebec's law concerning end-of-life medical care
with safeguards highlighted and summarized.
This end-of-life medical care act could be a starting place
for other provinces considering creating their own health-care laws.

26 recommended safeguards for life-ending decisions.
Lawmakers could include at least the best of these safeguards
in any new end-of-life legislation.
Each safeguards is explained in a page or two on the Internet.




Go to the list of  26 recommended safeguards.
These are selected from the above list of 35 possible safeguards.



Go to the index page for the Safeguards Website.



Go to the Right-to-Die Portal.



Go to the beginning of this website
James Leonard Park—Free Library