Wisconsin Medical Society Assisted Suicide Resolution Defeated

On August 14, the Wisconsin Medical Society Council on Health Care Ethics defeated a resolution in support of the legalization of assisted suicide in Wisconsin. The vote was 13-5.

The Council meeting was not open to the public. Each side of the issue was allowed three people to testify at the Council meeting. Wisconsin Right to Life and the Wisconsin Catholic Conference worked diligently behind the scenes to recruit high quality professionals to submit written testimony to Council members. According to a Council member, from legal to medical to clinical to elder abuse to disability rights, testimony in opposition to the resolution was far superior to what proponents submitted.

The Council recommendation now goes to the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Medical Society. It is not clear what will take place next and WRTL will keep an eye on any further activity before the Society. To date, Senator Risser has not introduced his bill to legalize assisted suicide in Wisconsin as he does every legislative session. I’m sure he was hoping to have the backing of the Medical Society. Fortunately, that did not occur.

Barbara Lyons