Missouri Right to Life Policy on Euthanasia

Policy

Missouri Right to Life does not oppose allowing people to die when death is imminent. We do, however, oppose the hastening of death.

Explanation

Every human being is unique and possessed of inherent dignity, regardless of age or condition. Missouri Right to Life upholds this basic right of every innocent human being from inception to natural death.

Missouri Right to Life does not oppose allowing people to die when they are actually dying. We do, however, oppose causing the death of non-dying people. Furthermore, we do object when public policy defines nutrition and hydration as medical treatment which can be removed from persons who are not dying when that removal results in their death.

There is and should remain in the law a basic difference between allowing a dying patient to die and causing a patient to die by dehydration, starvation, lack of basic medical care or any positive act, including lethal injection or overdose.

Society should work toward implementing positive policies to:

• Provide basic medical care, comfort care and pain control for the dying and/or disabled;
• Provide emotional support and encouragement for these individuals and their families so that neither would consider death as a solution to their problems.

Missouri Right to Life will work toward these goals.