Right to Die Versus Sacredness of Life

This volume, published as a special issue from "OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying" presents a number of theoretical and empirical articles on the topic of euthanasia, doctor-assisted suicide and suicide. We have examined the first extended data available in America with regard to the 93 physician-assisted deaths of Drs. Kevorkian and Reding. We examine the roles of biological verses psychological factors in the patient's decision to actively hasten their death. The role of gender, age, social economic status, ethnic-national-religious ancestry and marital-status have been examined in depth through quasi-psychological autopsies when available, often with very troubling implications. In addition, we present some preliminary work on seven cases of physician-assisted suicides in Australia.

Introduction Kalman J. Kaplan Who Decides? The Connecting Thread of Euthanasia, Eugenics, and Doctor-Assisted Suicide Kirk Cheyfitz Hippocrates, Maimonides, and the Doctor's Responsibility Kalman J. Kaplan and Matthew B. Schwartz Gender, Pain, and Doctor Involvement: High School Student Attitudes toward Doctor-Assisted Suicide Kalman J. Kaplan and Eve Bratman Effect of the Doctor on College Students' Attitudes toward Physician-Assisted Suicide Victor Wooddell and Kalman J. Kaplan Doctor Assisted Suicide: An Analysis of Public Opinion of Michigan Adults Flint Lachenmeier, Kalman J. Kaplan, and Diana Caragacianu Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia: The Pharmacist's Perspective Mark E. Schneiderhan Potential Psychodynamic Factors in Physician-Assisted Suicide Stephen H. Dinwiddie Psychosocial versus Biomedical Risk Factors in Kevorkian's First Forty-Seven Physician-Assisted Deaths Kalman J. Kaplan, Flint Lachenmeier, Martin Harrow, Jyll C. O'Dell, Oren Uziel, Mark Schneiderhan, and Kirk Cheyfitz Gender and Physician-Assisted Suicide: An Analysis of the Kevorkian Cases, 1990-1997 Silvia Sara Canetto and Janet D. Hollenshead An Update on the Kevorkian-Reding 93 Physician-Assisted Deaths in Michigan: Is Kevorkian a Savior, Serial-Killer or Suicidal Martyr? Kalman J. Kaplan, Jyll O'Dell, Ljubisa J. Dragovic, M. Catherine McKeon, Emily Bentley, and Kaja L. Telmet Dispensing Death, Desinning Death: An Exploration of Medical Roles and Patient Motivation during the Period of Legalized Euthanasia in Australia Annette Street and David W. Kissane "Dispensing Death, Desinning Death" by Annette Street and David Kissane: A Commentary Philip Nitschke Of Euphemisms and Euthanasia: The Language Games of the Nazi Doctors and Some Implications for the Modern Euthanasia Movement C. Ben Mitchell Kevorkian, Martha Wichorek and Us: A Personal Account Kalman J. Kaplan and Mary Leonardi Michigan versus Kevorkian Kalman J. Kaplan and M. Catherine McKeon Physician Hate Thyself: Comments on the Kevorkian Tapes David Gutmann Looking Death in the Eye: Another Challenge from Doctor Kevorkian Robert Kastenbaum Summary Kalman J. Kaplan

Kalman J. Kaplan , Ph.D. is Professor of Clinical Psychology and Director of the Program in Religion, Spirituality and Mental Health in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine and Adjunct Professor of Psychology and Judaism at Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies. He is also a licensed clinical psychologist in Illinois and Michigan.