The mission of the Patients' Rights Action Fund (PRAF) is to provide financial and
strategic support throughout the U.S. to protect the rights of patients and people with
disabilities by opposing doctor prescribed suicide legislation. PRAF is the national
coordinated movement to oppose efforts to make suicide a medical treatment and to
promote measures that protect patients' civil rights. We connect new and existing
grassroots organizations to build coalitions that oppose doctor prescribed suicide on
the state level. We track and follow legalization efforts across multiple states, and
provide resources to strategic opposition efforts.
We have had significant victories in the fight to protect patients, people with
disabilities and the most vulnerable from the plague of legalized assisted suicide.
Success in these battles is not possible without your support. Please consider
making a financial contribution to our cause and staying connected with us by
signing up for our email alerts. We can't do it without your help.
PRAF is only as strong as our network of supporters. Stay connected and help us fight
to protect patients' and people with disabilities' civil rights. Please sign up for our email
alerts and consider making a financial contribution to our cause. We can't do it without
your help.
The mission of the Patients' Rights Action
Fund (PRAF) is to provide financial and
strategic support throughout the U.S. to
protect the rights of patients and people
with disabilities by opposing doctor prescribed
suicide legislation. PRAF is the national
coordinated movement to oppose efforts to
make suicide a medical treatment and to
promote measures that protect patients' civil
rights. We connect new and existing
grassroots organizations to build coalitions
that oppose doctor prescribed suicide on
the state level. We track and follow legalization
efforts across multiple states, and provide
resources to strategic opposition efforts.
The movement to legalize doctor prescribed
suicide is gaining momentum, but we have
had significant victories in the fight to protect
patients, people with disabilities and the most
vulnerable. Success in these battles is not
possible without your support. Please consider
making a financial contribution to our cause
and staying connected with us by signing up
for our email alerts. We can't do it without
your help.
PRAF is only as strong as our network of
supporters. Stay connected and help us fight
to protect patients' and people with disabilities'
civil rights. Please sign up for our email alerts
and consider making a financial contribution
to our cause. We can't do it without your help.
Discrimination in health care has only been exacerbated by the coronavirus, as state after state has considered Crisis Standards of Care that violate the civil rights and erode the inherent human dignity of elders and people with disabilities. Battling these CSCs has been like a......
03 August, 2020 0 Likes
In this issue: -Why assisted suicide laws are inherently discriminatory against people with disabilities -Michael Hickson’s story of being denied care by his doctors based on subjective quality of life judgements -2020 Legislative State Status Update -New free downloadable California advance health care directive ...
28 July, 2020 0 Likes
Assisted suicide laws set up an ableist two-tier system, where some people get suicide prevention and others, namely those with life-threatening disabilities, get suicide assistance. This results in death to the devalued group. Nothing could be more discriminatory. A man named Michael Hickson died on June......
20 July, 2020 1 Like
The coronavirus pandemic has forced us to adapt the way we access health care, and telehealth is now widely used to overcome many hurdles related to receiving in-person attention. But there are some contexts in which relying on telemedicine can be dangerous — even deadly.......
16 July, 2020 0 Likes
Kristen Hanson, Community Relations Advocate with the Patients Rights Action Fund, joins host Steve Poizner on the Fight Back! podcast to discuss advanced healthcare directives, an important legal document that addresses such end-of-life issues as “do not resuscitate” orders, treatment options, healthcare proxies, and more.......
15 July, 2020 0 Likes
Jackie Bieber has been living every mom’s worst nightmare since May of last year. “On May 22, 2019, my daughter took her life, with the help of an assisted suicide website,” Bieber said. Her daughter, Shawn, battled depression and anxiety for years. Shawn had been......
09 July, 2020 0 Likes
A Black disabled man died from COVID-19 in Austin, Texas, after doctors declined to provide hydration, nutrition and treatment based on a “quality of life” decision. Disability advocates highlighted that the discriminatory attitudes behind these “quality of life” decisions are rampant — and dangerous. Michael......
08 July, 2020 0 Likes
It is tragic when patients are denied the treatment they need and deserve based on a subjective judgment about the quality of their life. Subjective, qualitative medical judgements can be harmful and even deadly. Too often we are seeing medical professionals substitute these subjective quality......
07 July, 2020 0 Likes
Disturbing figures are coming from Sweden about the number of Covid-19 deaths amongst the elderly. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, half of the people who died in Sweden were residents of nursing homes… The health authorities have received many complaints......
30 June, 2020 0 Likes
The Massachusetts Joint Public Health Committee recently reported out of committee the controversial bill (S.2745) that would legalize assisted suicide. This puts bill S.2745 one step closer to a vote. Some residents have asked: Other states have passed it, why not us? It is......
19 June, 2020 1 Like
After at least five legislative sessions without advancing beyond the committee stage, bills that would open the door to doctors prescribing lethal doses for terminally ill patients got favorable reports from the Committee on Public Health… The bills (H 1926/S 1208) that would legalize medical......
16 June, 2020 0 LikesRecently the Joint Committee on Public Health approved a Physician Assisted Suicide bill (HB 1926 and SB 1208). If it reaches final approval, state sanctioned suicide will be the law of the land in Massachusetts. This is fundamentally incompatible with the physician’s role as......
15 June, 2020 3 Likes