Contact: Richard P. Gulla
Phone: (781) 434-7101
Email: rgulla@mms.org
Waltham, Mass. -- December 3, 2010 - The Massachusetts Medical
Society, the statewide association of physicians with more than
23,000 members, today voted to reaffirm its opposition to
physician-assisted suicide, with its House of Delegates voting by a
wide margin to maintain a policy the Society has had in effect
since 1996.
Opposition to physician-assisted suicide was part of a larger
policy statement that includes recognition of patient dignity at
the end of life and the physician's role in caring for
terminally-ill patients. The policy was approved by more than 75
percent of the Society's delegates.
Lynda Young, M.D., president of the Society, said that
"Physicians of our Society have clearly declared that
physician-assisted suicide is inconsistent with the
physician's role as healer and health care provider. At the same
time we recognize the importance of patient dignity and the
critical role that physicians have in end-of-life care."
Dr. Young said the policy goes beyond a single statement of
opposition to physician-assisted suicide to include "support for
patient dignity and the alleviation of pain and suffering at the
end of life." Additionally, it includes the Society's commitment to
"provide physicians treating terminally-ill patients with the
ethical, medical, social, and legal education, training, and
resources to enable them to contribute to the comfort and dignity
of the patient and the patient's family."
The policy was one of several reaffirmed and adopted at the
Society's 2011 Interim Meeting, which brings hundreds of physicians
from across the state to examine and consider specific resolutions
on public health policy, health care delivery, and organizational
administration by the Society's House of Delegates, its
policy-making body. Resolutions adopted by the delegates become
policies of the organization.
Among other policies adopted by the Society at its meeting, held
Friday and Saturday, December 2-3.
Maximizing Influenza Vaccination Among Health Care
Workers -The Society adopted a policy that supports
efforts by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and other
health care organizations and institutions to maximize annual
seasonal influenza immunization rates for all direct patient
contact health care personnel without medical contraindications
through all appropriate means. In the event other means are not
successful at maximizing rates, the MMS would support mandatory
immunizing programs.
Confidentiality Statement of Principles -
Physicians expanded an extensive Confidentiality Statement of
Principles Policy, covering patient rights to confidentiality on
medication information in health insurance, information technology
and electronic medical records, public safety and marketing, and
consumer use. The policy was expanded to include genetic
information, including testing and disclosure.
MMS Health Care Access Initiative - The Society
voted to develop and implement the MMS Health Care Access
Initiative, a program to improve recruitment and retention of
primary care physicians. The policy includes pursuing fund-raising
efforts and developing a strategy to sustain the initiative.
Other resolutions considered at the meeting were changes to the
organization's bylaws and procedures of the House of Delegates.
The Massachusetts Medical Society, with more than 23,000
physicians and student members, is dedicated to educating and
advocating for the patients and physicians of Massachusetts. The
Society publishes the New England Journal of Medicine, a leading
global medical journal and web site, and Journal Watch alerts and
newsletters covering 13 specialties. The Society is also a leader
in continuing medical education for health care professionals
throughout Massachusetts, conducting a variety of medical education
programs for physicians and health care professionals. Founded in
1781, MMS is the oldest continuously operating medical society in
the country. For more information, visit www.massmed.org, www.nejm.org,
or www.jwatch.org.
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