November 23 -- Twenty-seven physicians, nurses and civic leaders of the Massachusetts Physicians Resource Council signed a statement urging CBS not to broadcast a "mercy killing" on its 60 Minutes program. 

The popular Sunday evening news program showed Michigan's Jack Kevorkian taking the life of an ill person, the first ever broadcast of euthanasia. 

"Jack Kevorkain is not a licensed physician, nor is he an expert in palliative care," the group said.  "He is an unlicensed, unemployed pathologist wielding poison." 

The group accused the network of gross sensationalism.  "Is it only coincidental that CBS will air this virtual 'snuff film' on the last Sunday of broadcasting's November 'sweeps' period, during which ratings are closely monitored to establish local advertising rates?" 

"Advocates of legal assisted suicide do no service to human dignity when they propose that killing be made the cheap and easy substitute for better pain management and palliative care," the group said.  "America would not tolerate the deliberate, serial killing of healthy persons -- and yet, how much more care, protection and compassion do we owe persons who are ill, elderly and disabled! 

"The God-given worth of the human person is inherent and unalienable; it does not wax or wane depending on his or her health, age, productivity or degree of dependency." 
 

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