Monday, February 12, 2007

Compassionate Choices


Professor Victor Dorodny, Founder and Chairman, TRI-PAC Health and Wellness Advocacy, created in 1995 with a mission of unrestricted access to affordable, appropriate, quality healthcare.

Since 1994, Professor Dorodny has been intimately involved in the creation, passage, and adoption of the Oregon Death with Dignity Act under the leadership of former Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber, M.D., who is also a fellow physician.

The passage and adoption of the Australia International Euthanasia Task Force is another feather in the cap of Professor Dorodny where he has been an effective proponent and eloquent advocate.

Professor Dorodny is an acknowledged national and international expert, writer and commentator on the medical, ethical and legal issues; public policy, and political arguments of Physician Assisted Suicide currently under national discussion and debate.

During the 2006 legislative session, TRI-PAC Health and Wellness Advocacy under Prof. Dorodny's stewardship was intimately involved in the issue, arguments, and advocating for passage of AB 651 (Berg and Levine). Unfortunately, AB 651 was defeated by one misguided vote (California State Senator Joe Dunn, D-Garden Grove) in the California Senate Judiciary Committee prior to reaching a California State Senate floor vote. Interestingly, Mr. Dunn has recently accepted a position of the CEO of California Medical Association (CMA).

AB 651 was amended into the Compassionate Choices Act. Professor Dorodny and TRI-PAC joined Compassion & Choices in meeting and educating key legislative leaders, government officials, mass media, fellow physicians and the public at large to pass this bill.

Professor Dorodny is a leading and key proponent of Anesthesiologist participation in lethal injection.

American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), the California Medical Association (CMA), vehemently oppose anesthesiologist participation in lethal injection, as well as physician participation in Physician Assisted Suicide. Once again, they have chosen to take the "dark" side on both issues.

Professor Dorodny has been interviewed by CBS Radio & National Public Radio (NPR) and by the American Medical Association (AMA) for a future article on anesthesiologist participation in lethal injection for publication in a future issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

The goal and intent of Professor Dorodny and TRI-PAC Health and Wellness Advocacy, is to inform, educate, and advocate, keeping in mind that both supporting and opposing viewpoints need to be presented and articulated prior to adoption and passage of public policy and legislation.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Compassion and Choices excellent and timely. The bill is going to be reintroduced Thursday, February 15, 2007.

Given that former Senator Joe Dunn caused the defeat of the bill last session and is now President of the California Medical Association, and a trial lawyer, citizens need to contact their state legislators, their physician, even their attorney urging SUPPORT of this issue and bill.