I-1000 Facts

Total Number of Lies Debunked:  541!

Lie:

1:  a: an assertion of something known or believed by the speaker to be untrue with intent to deceive b: an untrue or inaccurate statement that may or may not be believed true by the speaker

2:  something that misleads or deceives

3:  a charge of lying

Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lie

The Television ads:

More Commercial Lies

The Barbara Wagner ad:

LIE: Where assisted suicide is legal, there are serious problems

FACT: Nine independent studies prove that the Oregon Death with Dignity Act is safe and compassionate, and has been for over 10 years. The Oregonian newspaper recenlty wrote that "the safeguards are working."

LIE: 1 in 4 people getting lethal drugs suffer from depression.

FACT: The Ganzini study looked at 58 patients, and only 3 had some depression. The study concluded that every patient who requested death with dignity was mentally competent and capable of making their own decisions.

LIE: Health plans recommend assisted suicide to save costs.

FACT: There is no evidence of this in Oregon. It simply has not happened.

LIE: They would pay to kill me, but they will not give me the medication to try to stop my cancer.

FACT: Barbara Wagner requested an exotic and unproven treatment, pushed by a doctor who is a noted opponent of death with dignity. While her insurer denied the exotic and unproven treatment was denied, they did offer to cover other approved treatments as well as pain management to try to comfort her in her final days. Even if tactlessly stated in a letter from her insurer, Barbara also had the option to seek Death with Dignity if her suffering ever became too great.

Barbara Wagner chose not to use the death with dignity law in Oregon, and that was her choice. But no one should take that choice away from her or from anyone else. The death with dignity law respects every patient's personal choice.

Barbara Wagner - The Whole Story

The Martin Sheen commercial

LIE:  It's a dangerous idea that could be imposed on the poor, disabled and most vulnerable in our society.

FACT: Disability, ethnicity, and economic class are irrelevant under I-1000. Only terminally ill patients who have less than 6 months to live and who meet the strict safeguards are eligible to choose death with dignity.

LIE:  I-1000 tells doctors it's ok to give a lethal drug overdose to a seriously ill person.

FACT: I-1000 allows mentally competent, terminally ill patients who are suffering with less than 6 months to live to receive a prescription for medication that will end their life in a dignified way.

LIE:  ...even if they're suffering from depression.

FACT: The patient must be mentally competent. If there is any question about depression, the patient must be referred for a mental health evaluation.

LIE:  ...your spouse could die by assisted suicide and you wouldn't have to be told.

FACT: Family notification is not required because of doctor-patient confidentiality laws. Over 95% of patients in Oregon do consult with their family before choosing death with dignity.

LIE: People who are ill need real medical care and compassion, not lethal drugs.

FACT: People who choose Death With Dignity have few medical options left. At the end stages, it is compassionate to allow terminally ill patients the choice of ending their suffering.

The Rheba de Tornyay commercial

LIE: My husband received a grim diagnosis...His diagnosis was not only grim but it was wrong.

FACT: The diagnosis was right, her husband did in fact have a terminal illness. But doctor's can be wrong about the prognosis, which is why I-1000 leaves the choice of whether to take the medication in the hands of the patient.

LIE: Spouses do not have to be notified...

FACT: Family notification cannot be required because of doctor-patient confidentiality laws. Under I-1000, teh doctor must encourage the patient to discuss their decision with their family, and we know from Oregon that 95% of patients do discuss their decision to choose death with dignity with their family.

LIE: ...if their loves on receives a lethal drug overdose.

FACT: The terminally ill patient receives a prescription, and then the patient may decide whether and when to self-administer the medication.

LIE: Suicide is a mistake you can only make once.

FACT: I-1000 only applies to terminally ill patients. An end-stage terminally ill patient is not mistaken about the amount of suffering they have to endure. This is not suicide, this is a choice between one kind of death and another kind of death. Whether you choose suffering or dignity, it should be your choice.

The Radio Ad:

LIE:  “it’s a dangerous idea”

FACT: No one is forced to do anything under I-1000. All it does is give terminally ill patients the choice of how and when to end their suffering.

LIE:  “could hurt thousands of low-income people who need medical care”

FACT: Only terminally ill patients who meet the many strict safeguards are eligible to use the Death with Dignity law. After 10 years of experience in Oregon with an identical law, the safeguards are proven, and only 341 patients chose to use it.

LIE:  “it’s a step backwards”

FACT: I-1000 would be a step forwards for patient autonomy, control and choice. The government, religious leaders, and actors shouldn’t be making these decisions. The decision belongs to the terminally ill patient and no one else.

LIE:  “initiative 1000 would open up a loophole that health care insurers could exploit”

FACT: This hasn’t happened in over 10 years in Oregon. Insurance companies cannot force you to do anything that you don’t want to do. Any that tried would be risking bad press, lawsuits, and financial ruin.

LIE:  “to cut payments for the disabled and the working poor”

FACT: This hasn’t happened in over 10 years in Oregon. Disability and economic status are irrelevant under I-1000. Only terminally ill patients who have less than 6 months to live are eligible to use the law.

LIE:  “encouraging them to use assisted suicide”

FACT: This hasn’t happened in over 10 years in Oregon. Coercion, by anybody, is a Class A felony under the law, punishable by life in prison and a $50,000 fine. Additionally, independent studies have found that even if an insurance company could encourage people to use I-1000, there would be no cost savings.

LIE:  ““assisted suicide”

FACT: I-1000 is death with dignity. These terminally ill patients very much want to live, but cancer or another terminal illness is killing them.

LIE:  “this is exactly the wrong direction for real health care in America”

FACT: This is a distraction. The question of universal coverage is irrelevant to I-1000. The death with dignity initiative only affects a small number of terminally ill patients – mostly cancer patients.

LIE:  “it’s opposed by nurses, disability groups, and the 9,000 doctors in the Washington State Medical Association.”

FACT: I-1000 has a broad base of support, including doctors, nurses, people with disabilities, terminally ill patients, friends and family of terminally ill patients, and voters from across Washington. Additionally, as the Seattle Times reported, about half of the 9,000 doctors in the WSMA support I-1000.

Source:  “No I-1000 Radio ad”, http://noassistedsuicide.com/, 9/30/08, Martin Sheen.