With this episode, we begin a special two-part series on physician-assisted suicide/medical aid in dying. In part one, special guest, Dr. Lonny Shavelson, a physician and proponent of physician-assisted suicide/medical aid in dying, joins us. Part two will feature Dr. Brian Callister, a physician with an opposing viewpoint on this controversial but important issue.
Dr. Shavelson, a former ER doctor, founded Bay Area End of Life Options in 2016, a clinic dedicated to providing terminally ill patients physician-assisted suicide/medical aid in dying prescriptions. Dr. Shavelson is currently Chair of the American Clinicians Academy on Medical Aid in Dying, where he focuses on advancing the clinical knowledge and practice about physician-assisted suicide/medical aid in dying, teaching, consulting with other clinicians about their patients, and advocating for best practices.
Dr. Shavelson will discuss dying laws in states around the country, along with his experience and perspective on the origins and evolution of physician-assisted suicide/medical aid in dying laws, how the process works, what he believes people ought to know about it, and more.