Panel discusses religion, medicine, end-of-life decisions

By Dexter Gauntlett
Daily Bruin Reporter

Former UCLA visiting professor Michael Levine moderated a
discussion regarding end-of-life choices among a panel of medical
professional with varying religious backgrounds Tuesday night.

The interfaith dialogue, titled “Compassionate Choices
when Nearing the End of Life,” included a Catholic priest,
Buddhist minister, Muslim physician, UCLA medical specialist and a
former Jewish Medical Center worker.

“Let’s get talking about the end of life,”
Levine said to spearhead discussion among the 100 people who
attended the question and answer forum at the Westwood Hills
Christian Church. “Who should decide when we die?”

Buddhist minister Reverend Gregory G. Gibbs was the only
panelist who believed the individual has a right to commit suicide,
noting that Buddhists don’t believe in an ultimate reality or
a god.

“Buddhism says the person is in control, but I would never
judge or encourage someone to commit suicide,” Gibbs
said.

“Buddhism is very different from Judaism, Islam and
Christianity, which are all very authoritative,” he said.
“Buddhists believe that there is only
interpretation.”

Meanwhile, the Islamic faith prescribes that followers of Allah
maintain their body until natural death, said Dr. Shahid M.
Khan.

“We didn’t create ourselves,” Kahn said.
“The final decision is God’s decision ““ he
created us.”

As the only Muslim on the panel, Khan addressed the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks and the suicide missions of the 19 suspected
hijackers.

“It says very strictly in the Koran (that) if you
intentionally take one life ““ including your own ““
it’s like killing all of humanity,” Khan said.
“Fanatics brainwash people in the name of God and use them as
their personal weapons.”

The rest of the panelists walked a thin line between their
religious convictions and experiences in working with terminally
ill patients.

Though suicide is considered a sin by the Roman Catholic Church,
Father Richard Bensen said a person is usually in a depressed state
of mind, which makes the act not sinful, and therefore, the person
could still gain access to heaven.

Levine criticized Bensen for not accurately representing his
religion.

“If the Pope heard that, he would puke his guts
out,” Levine said.

Bensen said everything he said was consistent with the Catholic
religion.

Euthanasia ““ or assisted suicide for reasons of mercy
““ led to discussion of using painkillers to limit suffering
in terminal cases.

Drugs such as morphine are used to treat terminal patients in
extreme pain. The drug can be fatal if used in large quantities.
Doctors sometimes allow patients to control the dosage of a pain
killer via a pump in their hand, which opens up the risk for
suicide.

Dying Patient Protocol allows a terminally ill patient to adjust
the amount of pain medicine based on the level of pain and not the
vital signs even if that medicine compromises the vital signs. This
protocol is routinely used at the UCLA Medical Center, according to
panelist Katherine Brown-Saltzman, a Catholic and palliative care
specialist at the center.

“Patients have the right to a good death, based on their
(current) quality of life and their values,” she said.

She added that the intention of the Dying Patient Protocol is
not euthanasia, but that “it’s treating
pain.”

Euthanasia and end-of-life decisions are every day topics for
audience member Ann Elkins, a psychologist who works with the
seriously ill in West Los Angeles.

Elkins recounted how her sister died at age 40 of breast cancer.
She was disturbed that in the last few days before her
sister’s death, the doctor refused to give her more
painkillers in order to avoid a potential lawsuit.

“Medical professionals don’t act in a compassionate
way,” Elkins said. “They are terrified of
lawsuits.”

Bensen, who has a master’s degree in theology and human
biology, expressed sympathy for Elkins and conceded that there is
still much to learn in how to prescribe ample amounts of
painkiller.

“Painkillers are very misunderstood by hospitals
everywhere and that medicine is way under prescribed,” he
said.

Associate pastor and event coordinator Ken Carlson said the
evening went well, with a great deal of camaraderie among the
panelists.

“Five people who didn’t know each other shared a
mutual respect and mutually educated all of us about each of their
work.”