Maryland doesn’t need assisted suicide

Commentator Lynne Tobin argues for legalizing “death with dignity,” but instead she demonstrates exactly why such legislation is unnecessary in Maryland (“A choice for the dying,” Feb. 24).

Regarding the death of her uncle, the author writes, her family “questioned the efficacy of these treatments. Wouldn’t it be better to forego the therapy and allow him to spend his final days doing what he loved, being on the water or visiting with his family? No, said the physician.”

This isn’t an argument for physicianassisted death. It is, rather, an argument for better end-of-life planning and patient self-advocacy. Many vulnerable patients still listen to a doctor’s recommendation based on what the author says is a “father knows best mentality.”

Physician-assisted death is a problematic proposition for our health care system. First, it is nearly impossible to accurately predict the timeline for a terminal diagnosis

Moreover, the proposed legislation is based on unjustified assumptions that we are doing a good job in key areas such as identifying correctable causes of health decline, accurately establishing prognosis and screening and managing mental illness and depression.

Our focus should be on expanding and strengthening palliative care and hospice services to improve the quality of life for patients with terminal illnesses. These options are already available to Maryland residents and can provide a peaceful, pain-free end of life and a dignified death.

As a physician who has devoted his career to helping Maryland enact laws and regulations to promote personal choice and improve end-of-life care, I encourage all Marylanders to learn more about how they can make their own health care decisions and best ensure that their medical care is consistent with their personal goals and objectives.

Steven A. Levenson, Towson