• SEC. 5672 - page 2 ... "GIVE A TERMINALLY ILL ADULT WHO IS COMPETENT, FULLY INFORMED, AND A RESIDENT OF THIS STATE OR A CLOSE RELATIVE OF A RESIDENT OF THIS STATE, THE RIGHT TO END UNBEARABLE PAIN OR SUFFERING THROUGH THE SELF-ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION TO HASTEN DEATH;"...

• SEC. 5680 - page 5 "A PATIENT MAY RESCIND A REQUEST AT ANY TIME AND IN ANY MANNER BY WHICH HE OR SHE CAN COMMUNICATE AN INTENT TO RESCIND THE REQUEST, WITHOUT REGARD TO HIS OR HER MENTAL OR EMOTIONAL STATE."

Means currently available to hasten death:

• "PRNH" Patient Refusal of Nutrition and Hydration (Starvation and Dehydration) - allows a patient to refuse unwanted medical treatment, including artificial food and hydration, even if the refusal leads to death. In this case the dying process may take anywhere from days to weeks depending on the weight and fragility of the patient.

• "Double effect" is an accepted principle which allows doctors to prescribe enough medication to relieve pain, even if the unintended consequence is to shorten life.

• Some terminally ill patients resort to a gun, some drugs they have or to some other often violent and/or uncertain means in order to escape their suffering.

  THESE WILL BE OUR CHOICES IF OUR DRIVE FAILS!!!

• SEC. 5674 - page 3 ... "(1) A PATIENT WHO MEETS ALL OF THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS MAY MAKE A REQUEST UNDER THIS PART DURING THE TERMINAL PERIOD FOR MEDICATION FOR SELF-ADMINISTRATION, THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF WHICH IS TO END THE PATIENT'S UNBEARABLE PAIN OR SUFFERING BY ENDING HIS OR HER LIFE IN A HUMANE AND DIGNIFIED MANNER: (A) IS COMPETENT AND HAS MADE AN INFORMED DECISION. (B) IS DETERMINED BY THE PATIENT'S ATTENDING PHYSICIAN AND BY A CONSULTING PHYSICIAN TO BE SUFFERING FROM A TERMINAL ILLNESS. (C) HAS VOLUNTARILY EXPRESSED HIS OR HER WISH TO DIE BY MEANS OF MAKING A REQUEST UNDER THIS PART PURSUANT TO AN INFORMED DECISION." ...

• SEC. 5676 - page 4 ... "(C) REQUIRE THE PATIENT TO CONSULT WITH A PSYCHIATRIST. THE PSYCHIATRIST SHALL INTERVIEW THE PATIENT AND REVIEW THE PATIENTS RELEVANT MEDICAL RECORDS. IF THE PSYCHIATRIST DETERMINES BOTH OF THE FOLLOWING, HE OR SHE SHALL DOCUMENT THAT DETERMINATION IN THE PATIENT'S MEDICAL RECORD AND SHALL ISSUE THE PATIENT A WRITTEN STATEMENT OF THE DETERMINATION, THAT THE PATIENT SHALL PRESENT TO HIS OR HER ATTENDING PHYSICIAN: (i) THAT THE PATIENT HAS NO DIAGNOSABLE MENTAL DISORDER OR, IF THE PATIENT DOES HAVE A DIAGNOSABLE MENTAL DISORDER, THAT THE REQUEST FOR MEDICATION UNDER THIS PART IS NOT THE RESULT OF A DISTORTION OF THE PATIENT'S JUDGMENT DUE TO CLINICAL DEPRESSION OR ANOTHER MENTAL ILLNESS. (ii) THAT THE REQUEST IS REASONED, IS FULLY INFORMED, AND IS VOLUNTARY, AS FAR AS CAN REASONABLY BE DETERMINED." ...

• SEC. 5678 - page 5 ... "IF AN ATTENDING PHYSICIAN OR A CONSULTING PHYSICIAN IS UNWILLING TO PERFORM 1 OR MORE OF THE DUTIES PRESCRIBED UNDER THIS PART, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, GIVING A PATIENT A TRUE COPY OF THIS PART OR A COPY OF THE BOOKLET PRODUCED BY THE DEPARTMENT UNDER SECTION 5682, PRESCRIBING MEDICATION PURSUANT TO A REQUEST, OR PERFORMING A REQUIRED EXAMINATION, THE ATTENDING PHYSICIAN OR CONSULTING PHYSICIAN SHALL IMMEDIATELY INFORM THE PATIENT OF THAT FACT AND SHALL TRANSMIT A COPY OF THE PATIENT'S RELEVANT MEDICAL RECORDS TO A PHYSICIAN OF THE PATIENT'S CHOICE WITHIN 72 HOURS. THE PHYSICIAN CHOSEN BY THE PATIENT BECOMES THE PATIENT'S ATTENDING PHYSICIAN OR CONSULTING PHYSICIAN, AS APPROPRIATE." ...

• SEC. 5689 - page 8 ... "(3) A PERSON WHO, WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION OF THE PATIENT, WILLFULLY ALTERS OR FORGES A REQUEST FOR MEDICATION UNDER THIS PART OR CONCEALS OR DESTROYS A RESCISSION OF THAT REQUEST WITH THE INTENT OR EFFECT OF CAUSING THE PATIENT'S DEATH IS GUILTY OF A FELONY PUNISHABLE BY IMPRISONMENT FOR A TERM OF YEARS UP TO LIFE. (4) A PERSON WHO COERCES OR EXERTS UNDUE INFLUENCE ON A PATIENT TO MAKE A REQUEST UNDER THIS PART, OR TO DESTROY A RESCISSION OF A REQUEST, IS GUILTY OF A FELONY PUNISHABLE FOR A TERM OF YEARS UP TO LIFE." ...

• SEC. 5674 - page 3 ... "AN INDIVIDUAL IS NOT QUALIFIED TO MAKE A REQUEST SOLELY BECAUSE OF AGE OR DISABILITY, OR A COMBINATION OF AGE AND DISABILITY, OTHER THAN A DISABILITY CAUSED BY A TERMINAL ILLNESS."...

• SEC. 5685 - page 6 ... "THE GOVERNOR SHALL APPOINT AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE OF 14 PHYSICIANS AND 3 MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO REVIEW THE OPERATION OF THIS PART NOT LATER THAN 90 DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS PART AS FOLLOWS: (A) EIGHT MEMBERS, 2 FROM EACH STATE MEDICAL AND OSTEOPATHIC SCHOOL, SHALL BE APPOINTED FROM NOMINEES SUBMITTED BY THE HIGHEST EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF EACH SCHOOL WHO IS NOT OPPOSED TO COMPLYING WITH THIS PART. (B) SIX MEMBERS, 3 FROM THE MICHIGAN STATE MEDICAL SOCIETY AND 3 FROM THE MICHIGAN OSTEOPATHIC ASSOCIATION SOCIETY, SHALL BE APPOINTED FROM NOMINEES SUBMITTED BY THE HIGHEST EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF EACH ORGANIZATION WHO IS NOT OPPOSED TO COMPLYING WITH THIS PART. (C) THREE MEMBERS SHALL BE APPOINTED FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THE MEMBERS APPOINTED UNDER THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL NOT BE OPPOSED TO COMPLYING WITH THIS PART." ...

• SEC 5687 - page 7 "(1) BEGINNING 2 YEARS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS PART, A PHYSICIAN WHO PROVIDES PATIENTS WITH THE PROCEDURES AUTHORIZED BY THIS PART WHO APPLIES FOR RENEWAL OF HIS OR HER LICENSE SHALL PRESENT SATISFACTORY EVIDENCE, AS PART OF THE 150 HOURS OF CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION REQUIRED UNDER SECTIONS 17033 AND 17533, REGARDLESS OF ANY PREVIOUS TRAINING, THAT HE OR SHE HAS HAD NOT LESS THAN 20 HOURS OF CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION IN THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF COMFORT CARE, HOSPICE CARE, PAIN CONTROL, SEDATION COMA, REMOVAL OF NUTRITION AND HYDRATION, PSYCHIATRIC COUNSELING, AND THE PRESCRIPTION OF MEDICATIONS AUTHORIZED BY THIS PART. (2) AT A LICENSE RENEWAL SUBSEQUENT TO THE LICENSE RENEWAL DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (1), A PHYSICIAN SHALL PRESENT TO THE BOARD SATISFACTORY EVIDENCE, AS PART OF THE 150 HOURS OF CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION REQUIRED UNDER SECTIONS 17033 AND 17533, OF 4 HOURS OF THE CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (1)."

• Sec. 5676 (B) - page 4 - The attending physician shall inform the patient of all of the following - ..."(v) THE ALTERNATIVES TO MAKING A REQUEST, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, COMFORT CARE, HOSPICE CARE, PAIN CONTROL, SEDATION COMA, REFUSAL OF HYDRATION AND NUTRITION, AND WITHDRAWAL OF LIFE-SUSTAINING TREATMENT, AS APPROPRIATE." ...