*Oregon data proves patients are of sound mind and given a psychological evaluation.
Truth:
*According to Physicians for Compassionate Care, citing the recent Oregon report: Only two of the 46 patients dying from assisted suicide in 2006 were referred for psychiatric evaluation, yet depression is the most common cause of suicidal ideation. Putting 2006 Oregon data in context with previous years indicates a clear pattern. In the three years previous only two patients each year were referred for a psychological evaluation—less than five percent of patients committing assisted suicide were ever referred by the prescribing doctor.
And what can a patient expect if they are referred to a mental health professional? One session. The proposed California law, just as in Oregon, only calls for one psychological session to determine a patient’s mental capacity to request assisted suicide – IF referred by their attending physician..