MaterCare International is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. William L. Toffler to our 2019 Rome Conference programme.
Dr. Toffler is co-founder and National Director of Physicians for Compassionate Care Education Foundation, a non-profit that promotes compassionate care for severely ill patients without sanctioning or assisting their suicide. Physician members affirm an ethic based on the principle that all human life is inherently of value and that the physician's roles are to heal illness, alleviate suffering, and provide comfort for the sick and dying. Dr. Toffler is frequently invited to speak about these and other medical ethical issues at both national and international conferences, documentaries. He has been interviewed by NPR, 60 Minutes, Good Morning America, as well as international media in Canada, Australia, the UK and Japan.
His presentation at our upcoming Rome conference is titled, "Assisted suicide in Oregon after 22 years—what have we learned?"
ABSTRACT:
The presentation will provide a historical background to current worldwide effort to promote assisted suicide and euthanasia. While many important changes in laws and practices throughout the world will covered, particular emphasis will be placed on the events in Oregon over the past two decades as Oregon was the first jurisdiction actually legalizing the practice.
Among the topics presented will be the tactics and forces behind the promotion of the assisted suicide paradigm as well as the consequences to individuals and society when the practice is legalized. These include a deterioration of trust in doctors and health care bureaucracies. Sadly this deterioration can include even hospice and palliative care as well there is an inevitable expansion as well as a failure of so-called “safeguards.”
