The Boston Globe: Letter: Everyone should have power to make end-of-life decisions
Oct 15, 2020
An excerpt from the Boston Globe letter, “Everyone should have power to make end-of-life decisions,” by Compassion & Choices Massachusetts Campaign Manager Brian Monteiro, published October 15, 2020:
Re: “Is death the great equalizer?”: Bravo to the Globe journalists who researched and wrote this three-part series vividly exposing the economic and ethnic disparities in our health care system. We must eradicate these disparities so that everyone has equal access to the full range of end-of-life care options.
One small but important step toward achieving this goal is to authorize medical aid in dying as an end-of-life care option for every terminally ill, mentally capable adult in Massachusetts. Everyone should be empowered to make end-of-life care decisions based on their unique culture, beliefs, and spiritual values.
In fact, these laws have improved care for many terminally ill people, by spurring doctor-patient conversations about all end-of-life care options, such as hospice and palliative care, and better utilization of them...
That’s why we request that the Globe endorse the End of Life Options Ac and urge the Legislature to pass this measure before the legislative session ends.
