Fwd: FW: Action Needed – AMA Vote on Assisted Suicide (Pa Pro Life, 5/28/19)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Maria <Gallagher@paprolife.org>
Date: May 28, 2019 7:12 AM
Subject: FW: Action Needed – AMA Vote on Assisted Suicide
To: gallagher@paprolife.org
Cc:

Dear Pro-Life Leaders,

Please share this important information about assisted suicide with any pro-life doctors you know.

Thank you!

Take care,

Maria V. Gallagher
Legislative Director
Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation
www.paprolife.org
717-541-0034



From: Jacki Ragan [mailto:jragan1@aol.com]
Sent: Sunday, May 26, 2019 12:18 PM
To: JRagan1@aol.com
Subject: Action Needed – AMA Vote on Assisted Suicide

Dear NRLC Affiliate,

At its June 8-12, 2019 annual meeting at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates will be voting on at least two issues related to assisted suicide.

1.      The AMA will again review the report of the Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (CEJA) which reaffirms AMA Code of Medical Ethics provisions in opposition to physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia (report attached).  

2.      There is a resolution by New Mexico to change the AMA position to "engaged neutrality" which must be opposed. 

Last summer, thanks to hard behind-the-scenes work, the anti-assisted suicide CEJA report was sent back to the committee and the current AMA policy in opposition remains in effect.  In state fights, AMA and state affiliate AMA opposition has been critical in fighting the passage of assisted suicide.  It is imperative that the House of Delegates accept the CEJA report and oppose shifting to "engaged neutrality.

Here is how you can help:

1.      Please urge physicians in your state to comment at the Online Forum on the AMA website to express support of the CEJA report.  Physicians need to be AMA members to comment.

The online forum is active now.  Physicians can make a significant impact by posting to that Forum. 

Ask physicians to use the link below (or paste into your browser):  https://www.ama-assn.org/amaone/hod-annual-overview

Scrolling down to "Online Forums" and clicking that takes you to the Online Forum list.  The second box is Committee on Amendments to Constitution and Bylaws.  Click on "CEJA Reports". then the first one on the list will be "Physician-Assisted Suicide".  At this point you'll be prompted to sign in or create an account if you don't have one already.

Once signed in, the physician may put testimony into the online Forum. This testimony is carefully reviewed and compiled by AMA staff and has equal weight to onsite live testimony

2.      Identify physicians from your state and find out if they are a member of the AMA or would be willing to become a member.  Have an influential physician from your state contact each state delegate (a list they can obtain if they are a member) to urge them to speak and vote in favor of the CEJA Report which reaffirms AMA Code of Medical Ethics provisions in opposition to physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia at the AMA annual meeting.    

3.   AMA member physicians are needed to testify in favor of the CEJA report on the Sunday, June 9^th from 1:30pm to 5:00pm in Regency Ballroom C.   (Please note that this meeting was moved from morning to afternoon.)   If a physician is not an AMA  member, it is very easy to join at https://member.ama-assn.org/join-renew/.  Testifiers should identify who they represent, thank members of CEJA for the excellent report, and make succinct comments lasting no longer than two minutes.    Physicians who will testify should notify Barb Lyons at barbara@patientsrightsaction.org    

            Your assistance is vital to the outcome of this effort which will benefit every state.   Thank you.

For their lives,

Jacki Ragan, Director

State Organizational Development and NRL Conventions, Inc.

512 10th Street, NW

Washington, D.C. 20004-1401

202-626-8827

www.nrlconvention.com

www.nrlc.org