TYING PHYSICIANS' HANDS

'Whether dying or not, suffering people deserve relief. In fact, many
believe that most cases of physician-assisted suicide would be averted if
doctors did not fear retaliation for giving the massive doses of opiods that
the most severe pain cases may require.' -- Jerry Epstein

Relieve pain

Thank you for the superb editorial ["Tying physicians' hands," Aug. 2] on
preserving the freedom of doctors to use their best judgement to relieve the
intractable pain of dying patients.

Whether dying or not, suffering people deserve relief. In fact, many
believe that most cases of physician-assisted suicide would be averted if
doctors did not fear retaliation for giving the massive doses of opiods that
the most severe pain cases may require.

Texas physicians can oversee their own and call for police help if they feel
abuse is taking place.

In related areas, the specter of federal law enforcement interferes with
much severe pain medication. The American Public Health Association
complains that the benefits of marijuana are lost to patients and the AMA
says methadone is withheld from reasonable private prescription.

At their convention in New Orleans recently, neurologists speculated that
over 90 million people may be losing the right to the most effective
treatment for their conditions as a result of these decisions.

Sadly, most will never even suspect that superior medication was denied to
them by a foolish adherence to the outmoded thinking of the past.


Checked-by: "Rolf Ernst"