Regarding the Recent Statement by the USCCB on Assisted Suicide

SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Californians Against Assisted Suicide coalition member Marilyn Golden, policy analyst for the Disability Rights, Education and Defense Fund, found areas of agreement with the United States Council of Catholic Bishops' recent public policy statement on the dangers of assisted suicide legalization, including: 

• The concerns of the disability community,
• The danger to people with depression, 
• The significant and dangerous lack of scrutiny and oversight where assisted suicide is legal, 
• The potential for undue influence by others,
• The significant ambiguity in the definitions of terminal illness,
• The significant risk to the very people supposedly served: people with serious illness, and
• The importance of continuing improvement in palliative care.

"It is critical that society gains a greater awareness about these concerns," Golden said.

Californians Against Assisted Suicide spokesperson Tim Rosales added, "I think we all can agree that the focus should be on better end-of-life care for individuals and not assisted suicide."

Californians Against Assisted Suicide is a diverse coalition of healthcare professionals, disability rights groups, civil rights organizations and groups that advocate for the poor and uninsured that are unified against assisted suicide. 

For more information about the Disability Rights, Education and Defense Fund you can visit: www.DREDF.org

For more information about Californians Against Assisted Suicide, please visit www.ca-aas.com<http://www.ca-aas.com>.

SOURCE Californians Against Assisted Suicide