From my perspective, the June 5 LNP | LancasterOnline article “Pennsylvanians support new option for terminally ill patients, but lawmakers are not taking action” lacked important information.

The article mentioned a medical aid in dying law that was passed in Oregon in 1997. I remember reading about patients in that state receiving letters telling them it was cheaper to pay for deadly drugs to end their lives than to buy drugs to continue treatments. In my view, some people could end their lives out of fear of being a burden or fear of big medical bills.

Canada passed its Medical Assistance in Dying law in 2016. Thousands have died with the help of that legislation. In 2024 alone, 16,499 people ended their lives, according to Health Canada.

Hospice care is available to alleviate the suffering of the dying. In my view, there is no need for patients to end their own lives with medical assistance.

Catholic doctors who work in hospitals that offer medical aid in dying could be forced to do something against their religious beliefs or lose their jobs.

Someone once said, “A nation’s history is determined by how it treats its most vulnerable.”

I and others believe that offering medical aid in dying is essentially medically assisted suicide. Will Pennsylvania’s state senators and representatives vote for state-sanctioned assisted suicide? I hope not.

Colleen Reilly

Lebanon

Editor’s note: This letter mentions suicide. If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs immediate help, contact the following organizations:

— National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

— Those who are deaf or hard of hearing can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline via TTY at 800-799-4889.

— Lancaster Crisis Intervention, 717-394-2631.

— If you are LGBTQ+: thetrevorproject.org/get-help.

— Veterans who are in crisis can call the toll-free Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and then pressing 1, by texting to 838255, or chatting online (lanc.news/help4vets). This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All calls are confidential.

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