Congress and the Pain Relief Promotion Act

• Published in: The Western journal of medicine Vol. 172; no. 1; pp. 5 - 6
• Main Author: Freer, J. P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Copyright 2000 BMJ publishing Group 01.01.2000; BMJ Publishing Group Ltd; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Analgesics, Opioid - therapeutic use; Assisted suicide; Bills; Double Effect Principle; Drug and Narcotic Control - legislation & jurisprudence; Drug therapy; Health aspects; Humans; Laws, regulations and rules; Medical professions; Morphine - therapeutic use; Opioids; Pain; Pain - drug therapy; Pain management; Palliative care; Palliative Care - legislation & jurisprudence; Physicians; Practice; Suicide, Assisted - legislation & jurisprudence; United States; United States; Oregon; United States > US; Legal Approach; Death and Euthanasia; Pain Relief Promotion Act (1999 bill)
• ISSN: 0093-0415; 1476-2978
• DOI: 10.1136/ewjm.172.1.5

The first essentially nullifies patients' rights to physician-assisted suicide under the Oregon Death With Dignity Act. 1 It does this by declaring that assisted suicide and euthanasia are not legitimate medical uses of federally controlled drugs and that practitioners who prescribe for these uses are subject to the criminal penalties of the 1970 Controlled Substance Act. Because of opposition, this approach was abandoned and replaced in 1999 with the current bills.