Debate on death is a "distraction"?

The debate is only a distraction if it keeps you from doing what you want - and intend - to do in the first place.

I read the Chicago Tribune article on the aftermath of the Supreme Court's decision on Oregon's law allowing those that are licensed by the State to practice medicine to prescribe substances for the intention of causing death.

Notice: I do not consider anyone who intends to cause death either a "physician" or a "doctor" or the substances that are used to cause death "medicine."

Unfortunately, the real "distraction" in the article is the dismissal of the subject of "Physician Assisted Suicide" and the Oregon law as a minor concern.

It is absolutely vital that true physicians be allowed and - even more - taught and encouraged to treat and relieve suffering, pain and distress. Modern medicine does allow for the relief of most of these, and the drugs in dispute can be used for the good intention of satisfying the (now old fashioned and "distracting") First Principle of Medicine: "Heal when possible, but first, do no harm."

"Only" 200 or so Oregonians have committed suicide under the law. "Only" 10 percent or so of those in the Netherlands die at the hands of their physicians. "Only" the very sick, old, young, and vulnerable.