In response to the recent article about House Bill 140, an assisted-suicide bill, I submit the following concerns as a nurse of 59 years with a master’s in gerontological nursing from the University of Delaware (“Delaware House sends end-of-life options bill to Senate”).
Legalizing assisted suicide undermines core medical ethics and exposes vulnerable individuals — particularly those with disabilities, serious illnesses and financial struggles — to coercion and abuse. Proponents argue for personal choice, but the reality is more complex. In states where assisted suicide is legal, safeguards have failed, and eligibility has expanded beyond terminal conditions, putting people at risk. Studies show that physician-assisted suicide has been used for nonterminal conditions, such as eating disorders, further illustrating the dangers of these laws.
Rather than enabling a “right to die,” we should focus on improving care for those facing end-of-life challenges, ensuring access to compassionate hospice and palliative care. The focus should be on alleviating suffering, not creating an environment for vulnerable individuals to make irreversible decisions in moments of weakness or under pressure. Legalizing assisted suicide doesn’t offer protection — it opens the door to potential exploitation of those who need care and support, not an end to their lives.
Let’s choose to support those who are struggling, not abandon them in their most vulnerable moments.
Bess McAneny
Newark
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
