John Kelly, director of Boston-based Second Thoughts, an organization that opposes assisted suicide and advocates for people with disabilities, has many concerns with the bill.
In states such as Oregon and Washington, where assisted suicide is legal, patients who seek to end their own lives commonly cite a fear of being disabled and dependent on others for care, Kelly said.
“We campaign against the mindset that it’s better to be dead than disabled,” he said. “The focus should be on providing a compassionate and supportive environment.”
Kelly said he worries about patients making uninformed or premature decisions.