Latest news with #DavidMalloy
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Illinois one step closer to legalizing medically-assisted suicide
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — A bill that would allow a doctor to prescribe lethal medication to terminally ill patients passed the Illinois House on Thursday. The 'End of Life Options Act' would give a mentally sound adult with six months or less to live the option to get medication to die peacefully with the help of a prescription. 'I think that one of the most frightening things about death for most of us is that it means the ultimate loss of control,' Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) . 'Death, like life, is easier to navigate when you know you will have options to choose from, even if you never need to or even if you choose not to.' Under the bill, a physician must first provide information about comfort care, palliative care, and pain control, and the patient must be able to self-ingest the medication. They would have to make two oral requests and a written request, and the request must be witnessed by two people who attest the patient is acting voluntarily and with a sound mind. 'Oral and written requests for aid in dying may be made only by the patient and shall not be made by the patient's surrogate decision-maker, health care proxy, health care agent, attorney-in-fact for health care, guardian, nor via advance health care directive,' the bill reads. This legislation will also require doctors to talk about all end-of-life care options, including medical aid in dying. Life insurance payments cannot be denied to the families of those who use the law. A poll taken two years ago showed that 7 out of 10 Illinois voters supported medical aid in dying legislation. The Catholic Diocese of Rockford was among the groups opposing the act, with Bishop David Malloy , 'In states with legalized suicide, there are documented cases of insurance companies refusing to pay for the necessary care of the terminally ill while at the same time, they will cover the small cost of the drugs resulting in the end of life.' Malloy also quoted the American Medical Association as saying, 'Physician-assisted suicide is fundamentally incompatible with the physician's role as healer, would be difficult or impossible to control, and would provide serious societal risks.' If passed by the Senate and signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker, Illinois would become the 11th state to allow medically assisted suicide. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Rockford Diocese calls on Catholics to reject Illinois' bid to legalize assisted suicide
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Bishop David Malloy, of the Catholic Diocese of Rockford, is calling on Catholics throughout the state to oppose efforts to make assisted suicide legal in Illinois. Both and contain efforts to legalize suicide for terminally ill patients. The 'End of Life Options Act' would provide prescriptions to terminally ill patients who want to pass away peacefully. In his letter, Malloy said, 'In states with legalized suicide, there are documented cases of insurance companies refusing to pay for the necessary care of the terminally ill while at the same time, they will cover the small cost of the drugs resulting in the end of life.' The bills are modeled after laws in authorized jurisdictions, including Oregon, which established a similar law 28 years ago. The Oregon Health Department said in the first three years since the state legalized assisted suicide, suicides rose 42% higher than the national average. Malloy also quoted the American Medical Association as saying, 'Physician-assisted suicide is fundamentally incompatible with the physician's role as healer, would be difficult or impossible to control, and would provide serious societal risks.' A poll taken two years ago showed that 7 out of 10 Illinois voters supported medical aid in dying legislation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
