The most pertinent paragraph in that link, IMO, is this:
"Patient 3 had advanced metastatic lung cancer and had been receiving
opioids at home when he was admitted to the hospital with new metastases to
his thoracic spine. He was confused, could not move his legs, had difficulty
breathing, and was in excruciating pain - screaming whenever he moved and
grimacing with each breath. He was near death, and the primary goal of
medical care was to control pain, agitation, and dyspnea. He was given a
subcutaneous infusion of opioids at an equianalgesic dose 30 percent higher
than his usual dose, and the nurses were instructed to give him another
dose, equal to 10 percent of the total daily dose, "as needed" every half
hour if he appeared to be in pain (the proper approach, according to
standard guidelines). But several nurses and physicians refused to give the
"as needed" doses, despite evidence of continuing distress, because they
feared hastening his death. Ethics and palliative care consultants were
called in, and they refocused the team on the professional obligation to
relieve pain and suffering. The patient died hours after receiving the
additional doses, and some staff members remained unsettled about whether
they might have been legally liable for "causing" his death."

Dammit ... when do I get to get on with my OWN agenda and quit having to
fight stuff like this? If it isn't eminent domain abuse, or the ACLU, or the
ignorant "Bush Lied" brigade that's eating into my time, it's the goddamned
federal government trying to tell me how to DIE! This is NOT the
government's business, and if I can't help a tiny bit by opposing this BS
locally and nationally, then by God if and when I'm Patient 3 I'll do my
very best to make my point with a speech and a hand grenade or shotgun on
live TV. It's *M*Y* damned life, not anyone else's.

WHEN are people going to stop letting the government run every tiny or
totally personal part of their lives?

I.P.