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Life-ending peaceful drugs cost up to $20,000

Terminally ill patients wanting a peaceful death in Oregon and Washington are being charged between $3,000 and $20,000 a time for the barbiturate lethal drugs which doctors are permitted to prescribe under the Death With Dignity Acts. Health insurance companies are refusing to pay these exorbitant sums, leaving most patients unable to relieve their suffering.

The long-established superior drug for doctor-hastened death, Nembutal (sodium pentobarbital) has rocketed to prices upwards of $20,000 in America. The next most widely used drug for this purpose is Seconal (secobarbital) for which manufacturers and pharmacies are charging patients $3,000 and sometimes more.

In European countries where assisted suicide is allowed, the price for a lethal dose remains at between $400 and $500.

The lethal dosage prescribed for both drugs is usually nine grams, taken orally. In the last century these two drugs were commonly prescribed as sleep aids but became notorious for suicide. Today Nembutal and Seconal are almost never prescribed except for lawful assisted dying because gentler sleep aids developed.

Bruce Endicott of Eugene described

his dilemma: “I’m 67 years old, have had seven spinal fusions so I have major chronic pain for which I take large amounts of opiates. I also have advanced emphysema which qualifies me for the assisted suicide procedure. The prescription is awaiting me at a local pharmacy, but the price tag reads $3,068.81. This entire process has been beyond aggravating, it’s driving me mad.”

“The excessive pricing seems to be for two factors,” said Derek Humphry, author of the bestselling how-to-die book ‘Final Exit’, and founder of the Hemlock Society. “These drugs are now only manufactured in Switzerland and India with the patents recently changing hands at high prices. They are labeled ‘boutique drugs’. Secondly, there is a reluctance in Europe to sell these lethal drugs in America because they can be used for judicial executions which are deplored over there.”

Doctors in the North West sympathetic to assisted dying under the law are prescribing Seconal as the cheaper drug but in many cases the patient leaves the script at the pharmacy as they unable to meet the cost.

Alternative cocktail

So doctors have devised a different lethal cocktail which they have released to Mr. Humphry. It can only be concocted by a licensed physician and requires skilled preparation. So far this year it has been used in 36 cases of people wishing to die under Death With Dignity Acts in both states.

After drinking the mixture (injection is unlawful) the average patient goes into a coma within five minutes and death occurs within 12 to 20 minutes. This is the formula:

1. One hour prior to consuming the cocktail take 8 mgs #1 of Zofran and 10 mgs #2 of Reglan, to prevent vomiting. If patient has had recent episodes of vomiting double the Zofran and Reglan.

2. Mix in blender with 4 to 5 ounces of water or cinnamon flavored apple sauce or 30 mls of Ethanol, 200 proof, the following:
a. 20 grams of Phenobarbital
b. 20 grams of Chloral hydrate diphenhydramine (Aquachloral,
Chloralum and Somnote).
c. 3 grams Morphine Sulfate

3. After consuming the cocktail follow it by drinking 2 to 3 ounces of alcohol, whiskey, gin, vodka or scotch, not beer or wine. Also advisable not soda or fizzy drink. Do not use large amounts of liquids or digestive mixtures as the drugs may become diluted and ineffective.

visit www.finalexit.org

One Response to “Dying well can cost a lot of money”

  1. Euthanasia says:

    This is absolutely terrible. It was worse to start with as people had to move to have a choice as not every state is legal when considering Euthanasia, but now it’s a struggle to use the choice with drugs prices so high. An absolute shame that people even during their dying phase have to go through such stress, it is meant to relieve them not add them with more issues such as price – hike.

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