News Home - Yahoo! - My Yahoo! - News Alerts - Help -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Access Your PC from Anywhere-Free Download Hello! your domain today! Home Top Stories Business Tech Politics World Local Entertainment Sports Op/Ed Science Health Full Coverage Top Stories - Associated Press - updated 5:38 AM ET Nov 9 Add to My Yahoo! Reuters | AP | AP U.S. | The New York Times | ABCNEWS.com | Photos | Videos Full Coverage In-depth coverage about Assisted Suicide Related News Stories · State challenges Ashcroft - The Oregonian (Nov 8, 2001) · Oregon Defends Assisted Suicide - Los Angeles Times (Nov 8, 2001) · 4 Oregon Patients Seeking Suicide Sue U.S. - NY Times (registration req'd) (Nov 8, 2001) · AG rules against assisted suicide - Irish Times (Nov 8, 2001) · State officials and doctors will challenge the action - The Oregonian (Nov 7, 2001) More... Opinion & Editorials · My Mother Died Peacefully Because She Decided When - Los Angeles Times (Nov 8, 2001) · Ashcroft: Not Busy Enough? - Los Angeles Times (Nov 8, 2001) · The case of Ashcroft vs. Oregon - Chicago Tribune (Nov 8, 2001) More... Related Web Sites · Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide: All Sides - primer on the issue that looks at beliefs about suicide and euthanasia, and surveys the religious and ethical aspects of the issue. From the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. · Guide to Doctor-Assisted Suicide Sites - index of resources on the Web. Compiled and maintained by the Longwood College Library. · Euthanasia Research & Guidance Organization - holds that voluntary euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, and self-deliverance, are all appropriate life endings depending on the individual medical and ethical circumstances. More... Magazine Articles · A time to die - The Guardian (UK). (Aug 23, 2001) · Euthanasia: Dr Buck's Story - Radio Netherlands (Aug 8, 2001) · Euthanasia: Mrs de Hullu's Story - Radio Netherlands (Jul 25, 2001) More... Audio · The Netherlands Legalizes Euthanasia - NPR (Apr 11, 2001) · Dutch Parliament legalises euthanasia - Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Apr 11, 2001) More... Video · Woman loses euthanasia court challenge - CBC (Oct 18, 2001) · UK Woman Seeks Legal Euthanasia - Reuters Video (Aug 21, 2001) Friday November 9 5:36 AM ET Oregon Assisted-Suicide Law Intact Slideshows AP Photo Assisted Suicide By CHRISTY KARRAS, Associated Press Writer PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Oregon doctors can prescribe lethal medicines again to terminally ill patients who want to end their lives now that a judge has temporarily blocked a federal order essentially shutting down the state's unique assisted-suicide law. U.S. District Judge Robert Jones granted a temporary restraining order Thursday barring U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft (news - web sites)'s directive that Oregon doctors would lose their licenses to prescribe federally controlled drugs if they use the law. Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers sued the government and sought the order along with several terminally ill patients and others. The order is effective until Nov. 20 when Jones has scheduled another hearing. The state argued that the federal government does not have the right to dictate its policies on medical practices. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Howard disagreed, saying the federal government's interest in preserving life takes precedence over Oregon's Death with Dignity law. It's not clear how many doctors will prescribe lethal doses since many don't want to risk jeopardizing their careers if Ashcroft's order is ultimately upheld. ``I'm going to get some legal advice about whether it would be safe to proceed and then decide,'' said Dr. Peter Rasmussen, a Salem cancer specialist who joined Myers's suit. Although the ruling will give some patients more time to get their medication, Rasmussen said doctors still may not feel comfortable helping additional patients through the process. ``I think it's still going to be hard for them to talk openly with their patients about assisted suicide,'' he said. Physicians for Compassionate Care, an organization that opposes assisted suicide, criticized Jones' ruling. ``Nobody who's in distress and despair should have a doctor respond to that with an overdose,'' said Dr. Gregory Hamilton, spokesman for the group. ``People are going to keep getting assisted suicide instead of the hope and care they deserve.'' Eli Stutsman, Rasmussen's attorney, said that even with Thursday's ruling, the Ashcroft directive will ``cause a chilling effect on good patient care'' in Oregon and across the nation because doctors might be afraid to prescribe strong pain medications. At least 70 people have used the law since it took effect, according to the state's Health Services office. All have done so with a federally controlled drug. The measure survived legal challenges after being approved in 1994 and later re-approved by a wide margin in 1997. Under the law, doctors may provide - but not administer - a lethal prescription to terminally ill adult state residents. It requires that two doctors agree the patient has less than six months to live, has voluntarily chosen to die and is capable of making health care decisions. Rasmussen said he worries that during the battle over the Oregon law, patients will try to find other ways to end their lives. ``I've already had inquiries about alternate ways to get the medication - for example going down to Mexico, or to Canada to get it. And of course I've discouraged that,'' he said. ``I sincerely hope that no physician goes underground, but some patients will want to.'' - On the Net: Compassion in Dying: http://www.compassionindying.org/ Physicians for Compassionate Care: http://www.pccef.org/ Email this story - View most popular | Printer-friendly format Earlier Stories Fed Judge Blocks Suicide Directive (November 8) Ashcroft Suicide Directive Blocked (November 8) Ore. Sues U.S. Over Assisted Suicide (November 8) Ashcroft Overturns Assisted Suicide (November 7) Archived Stories by Date: Nov 08 Nov 07 Nov 06 Nov 05 Nov 04 Nov 03 Nov 02 Nov 01 Oct 31 Oct 30 Oct 29 Oct 28 Oct 27 Oct 26 Oct 25 News Resources Message Boards: Post/Read Msgs (1982 msg Nov 9, 5:33 AM ET) Conversations: Start a live discussion News Alerts: assisted suicide euthanasia right to die right-to-die | John Ashcroft More Alerts: News Bulletins, News, Mobile, Stocks ADVERTISEMENT Weekly Specials · Mortgage Rates at 40-Year Lows! 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