OPEN LETTER

OPEN LETTER FROM MASSACHUSETTS PHYSICIANS AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS IN OPPOSITION TO LEGALIZATION OF ASSISTED SUICIDE

We, the undersigned physicians and healthcare professionals of Massachusetts, are strongly opposed to S 2745 and H 4782 , legislation to legalize the practice of assisted suicide in Massachusetts. We firmly believe that providing lethal drugs for purposes of suicide constitutes abandonment of the patient and a corruption of medicine.

As physicians and healthcare professionals, we embrace a culture where ALL people receive appropriate medical care, regardless of economic state, ethnicity, age or disability. We believe that the most vulnerable patients will suffer from legalization of lethal drugs by creation of a financial incentive for insurance companies and governments to save money by approving coverage of cheaper lethal drugs and denying lifesaving treatment, as has happened in states where assisted suicide is legal.

Currently, there are many specialties in medicine and large numbers of physicians and healthcare professionals with no familiarity with patients at the end of life. Yet, S 2745 and H 4782 allow physicians and healthcare professionals with no expertise and no knowledge of the patient and the inability to accurately diagnose depression to prescribe lethal drugs. These drugs are taken with no medical supervision and sometimes without the awareness of family members. S 2745 and H 4782 require falsification of the death certificate which makes investigation of a suspicious death impossible.

We strongly support the position of the Massachusetts Medical Society for much better funding for palliative care, hospice care and compassionate care as the way to treat patients with terminal conditions.

Massachusetts citizens have already firmly rejected the legalization of assisted suicide in a statewide referendum in 2012.

We align ourselves with The American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians, the nation’s two largest medical organizations, who recently overwhelmingly re-affirmed opposition to the legalization of assisted suicide.
We adhere to the prescient statement of the 2,500 year old Hippocratic Oath which states: “I will use treatment to help the sick according to my ability and judgment, but never with a view toward injury and wrong-doing. Neither will I administer a poison to anybody when asked to do so, nor will I suggest such a course.” The Massachusetts bills place an unconscionable burden on physicians who do not wish to violate this Oath.
We urge the Massachusetts legislature to increase resources for hospice and palliative care to provide compassionate care at the end of life and to reject S 2745 and H 4782 and all efforts to legalize the prescription of lethal drugs.

Michael Mastromatteo, M.D.

Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology

Beverly

Navid Mahooti, M.D., M.P.H.

Family Medicine, Sports Medicine

Beverly

Kerry Pound, M.D.

Pediatrics

Beverly

John Barravecchio, M.D.

Internal Medicine

Milton

Patricia Lawton, P.T.

Physical Therapist

Sutton

William Lawton, M.D.

Internal Medicine Nephrology

Sutton

Peter Moschovis, M.D.

Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

Boston

Brigid Koenan, R.N.

Nursing

Boston

Karen O’Brien, M.D.

Palliative Care

Boston

Kevin Lanphear, D.O.

Family Practice

Newburyport

Paul Church, M.D.

Urology

Wayland

John Chang, D.O., M.S.c., F.A.C.E.P

Emergency Medicine

Lawrence

Luca Zazzeron, M.D.

Anesthesia

Boston

Tracy Balboni, M.D.

Radiation Oncology

Boston

Lorenzo Berra, M.D.

Anesthesiology, Critical Care

Boston

Kristine Correira, P.A.-C.

Physician Assistant

Charlton

Susan Kucharski

Gerontology

Chester

Kathleen Lake, R.N.

Nursing

West Boyleston

Sandra Kucharski, R.N.

Nursing

West Boyleston

Mark Rollo, M.D.

Fitchburg

Thomas Sullivan, M.D.

Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Diseases

Beverly

Madelyn Hicks, M.D. M.R.C.Phych

Psychiatry

Worcester

Jane Heinser, R.N., B.S.

Pediatrics

Worcester

Ronald Pies, M.D.

Psychiatry

Lexington

Sheldon Benjamin, M.D.

Neuropsychiatry

Worcester

John Howland, M.D.

Family Practice

Southbridge

David Ramsey, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H.

Ophthalmology

Winchester

Margaret Morgan, M.S., R.N.

Nursing

North Andover

Sr. Mary Elizabeth, R.N.

School Nurse, Pediatrics

Still River

David Petullo, M.D.

Hospital Medicine

Sterling

Miriam E. Vincent, M.D.

Radiology

Boston

Anne Daunt, B.C.G.P.

Pharm D

Norton

Gilbert Lavoie, M.D.

Internal Medicine

Falmouth

Joseph Gravel, M.D.

Family Medicine

North Reading

Richard Florentine, M.D.

Internal Medicine

West Roxbury

Francis Rockett, M.D.

Neurosurgery

Newton

Victor Saldanha, M.D.

Internal Medicine

Lynnfiled

William Sullivan, M.D.

Endocrinology

Boston

Joanna Sawicka, M.D.

Radiation Oncology

Winchester

Laura Petrillo, M.D.

Palliative Care

Boston

Charles Kelley, M.D.

Anesthesiology

Andover

Frank Coco, M.D.

Hematology and Oncology

Chestnut Hill

Miguel Zialcita, M.D.

Neurology

Norwood

John Dooley, M.D.

Vascular Surgery

Winchester

David Stromberg, M.D.

Psychiatry

Needham

Peter Morin, M.D., Ph.D.

Neurology

Needham

Katherine Reda, R.N.

Nursing

Dedham

Rita Russo, R.N.

Obstetrics

Norwood

Lucy A. Bayer-Zwirello, M.D.

Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Brighton

Mariette Murphy, M.D.

Pediatrics

Cambridge

Barbara Rockett, M.D.

General Surgery

Newton

Joy Pelc, R.N.

Retired

Greenfield

Rebecca Worden, M.D.

Family Medicine

Templeton

Aimee Beck, N.P.

Family Medicine

Gardner

Nancy Ann Faller, R.N., M.S.N., Ph.D, CWOCN

Wound Ostomy Continence Nursing

Turners Falls

Eileen Clossick, R.N.

Nursing

Boston

Lisa Carr, M.D.

Internal Medicine and Pediatrics

Chelsea

Miguel Preito, M.D.

Internal Medicine

Bourne

Corinne Tan, M.D.

Cardiac Surgery

Boston

Arash Tadbiri

Family Medicine/Geriatrics

Bourne

Mark Albanese, M.D.

Psychiatry

Cambridge

Anne Bowler, M.D.

Obstetrician–postpartum

Dracut

Jeevendra Martyn, M.D.

Anesthesiology and Intensive Care

Boston

Santiago Lozano Calderon, M.D., PhD

Orthopedic Oncology

Boston

Victor Saldanha, M.D.

Internal Medicine/Geriatrics

Lynnfield

Lija Joseph, M.D.

Pathology

Newton

Patricia Jay, M.D.

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Dedham

Ximena Castro, M.D.

Worcester

Ann Francine Dzialo, M.D.

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Groton

Andrew Ayers, M.D.

Orthopedic Surgery
Peabody

Tomislaw Zargaj, M.D.

Psychiatry, Geriatric Psychiatry

Salem

Jacob Joseph, M.D.

Internal Medicine Cardiology

Boston

Ann Salerno, M.D.

Pediatrics Nephrology

Hopkinton

Cara O’Connor, M.D.

Pediatrics

Boston

Roselia Castro, R.N.

Nurse

Worcester

Giles Whalen, M.D.

Surgical Oncology

Sutton

Patrick Johnson, M.D.

Internal Medicine

Boston

Sylvia Mary Yuet OOI, M.D.

Pediatric Immunonephrology; Immunology, Cell Biologist

Brookline

John Worden, M.D.

Family Practice

Templeton

Ellen Johnson, M.D.

Diagnostic Radiology

North Andover

Kathleen Caruso, P.A.-C

Pediatrics/Adolescent Medicine

Westwood

Shirley Gonzalez, M.D.

Pediatrics, Obesity Medicine

Westwood

Agnieszka Snioch, M.D.

Family Medicine

Leominster

Patti Laenen, R.N.

Women, Aos Health

Weymouth

Barbara Horgan

Social Worker

North Brookfield

Maria Theroux, R.N., Traveler and MDS

Agawam

Sandra Rago, LICSW, EMT-B

Social Worker

Brighton

Jean Marshall, BSN, RN, CHCQM

Geriatrics

Marshfield

Deborah Perret, R.N.

Nursing

Scituate

Corinn Dahm, Ph.D.

Pharmacology/toxicology

Berlin

Alexandra Cist, M.D.

Pulmonary and Critical Care; Clinical Ethics

Winchester

Helen Jackson, M.D.

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Brighton

Jay Glaser, M.D.

Internal Medicine

Leominster

Jancy Thomas, M.D.

Hospital Medicine

Leominster

Carmel Kelly, M.D.

Family Medicine

Randolph

Sara Petullo, P.T., M.S.

Physical Therapist

Sterling

Lynne Crawford, APRN-NP

Primary Care-Internal Medicine

Needham

Jeevendra Nartyn, M.D.

Anesthesiology Intenseive Care Medicine

Boston

Vallerie St. Preux, R.N.

Dedham

Morgan Mahoney, M.D.

Internal Medicine

Needham

Lina Vawter, M.D.

Psychiatry

Worcester

Sierra Parker, M.D.

Clinical Dietician, Dialysis

Boston