Critics raised the alarm as the Virginia Senate passed a bill Friday that would legalize assisted suicide, otherwise known as “medical aid in dying.”
Based on the bill’s language, it would permit doctors to give their terminally ill patients a “self-administered controlled substance” to end their lives. The bill passed the Senate 21-19.
While supporters say the legislation offers a compassionate alternative to “lingering death” for those with terminal diagnoses, critics warn that such laws are ripe for abuse, as governments, health insurance companies, and even family members may pressure vulnerable people to end their lives prematurely to save money on medical expenses.
“Virginia’s bill SB280 offers no real protection for vulnerable patients,” the National Association of Pro-Life Nurses told The Daily Signal in an emailed statement. “Instead, it…
