The Journal of the Oklahoma State Medical Association
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J Okla State Med Assoc · Aug 1996
Report 59 of the AMA Board of Trustees (A-96). Physician-assisted suicide. Reference Committee on Amendments to Constitution and Bylaws.
This Board of Trustees report calls for reaffirmation of the position of the American Medical Association (AMA) in opposition to physicians assisting their patients in committing suicide. The AMA maintains that the appropriate step for physicians is not to assist a patient in death but to provide compassion and palliative care. In providing end-of-life care, the option of allowing physicians to intentionally cause the death of patients is a line that should not be crossed. ⋯ The report presents information on state legislative activities and judicial actions relating to physician-assisted suicide. The report also presents a discussion on the ethical under-pinnings against physician participation in patients' suicides. This report recommends that: the AMA reaffirm current policies 140.952 and 140.966 (AMA Policy Compendium), in accordance with Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs Opinion 2.211 (opposition to physician-assisted suicide); the AMA initiate an educational campaign to make palliative treatment and care directions based on values-based advance care planning the standard of care for meeting the needs of patients at the end of life; the AMA continue to seek out opportunities to present the views of medicine on physician-assisted suicide and improving the quality of care for patients at the end of life; the AMA disseminate this report throughout the Federation with a request that it be distributed to local physicians; and the Board of Trustees present the House of Delegates with an update on these and related activities at the 1996 Interim Meeting and the 1997 Annual Meeting.
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J Okla State Med Assoc · Nov 1995
Case ReportsStreptococcal necrotizing fasciitis ("flesh-eating strep infection").
Streptococcal necrotizing fasciitis, popularized in the lay literature as the "flesh-eating infection" has gained great notoriety. Necrotizing fasciitis may be lethal not only due to its severity, but also because of difficulty in diagnosis during its early stages. ⋯ Necrotizing fasciitis may be distinguished from other streptococcal skin and soft tissue infections by clinical examination, imaging studies, and biopsy. Treatment requires a combined medical-surgical approach.