Kevorkian's Cases Reviewed

Editor's note. The following is reprinted with permission from Life At Risk, a publication of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Though more than a year old, what it reports is still worth reading.

A medical examiner from Oakland County, Michigan, and three researchers from the University of South Florida have studied key characteristics of 69 patients whose suicides were assisted by Jack Kevorkian between 1990 and 1998. Their findings were published in the [December 7, 2000,] New England Journal of Medicine.

According to medical examiner L.J. Dragovic and colleagues, autopsies show that only 25 percent of Kevorkian's clients were terminally ill when he helped them kill themselves. "Seventy-two percent of the patients had had a recent decline in health status that may have precipitated the desire to die." However, "no anatomical disease was confirmed at autopsy" in 5 of the 69 people. In light of the generally lower rate of suicide among women, it was notable that 71% of these patients were women. Persons who were divorced or never married were over represented among Kevorkian's clients, "suggesting the need for a better understanding of the familial and psychosocial context of decision making at the end of life" [L. Roscoe, J. Malphurs, L. Dragovic, and D. Cohen, "Dr. Jack Kevorkian and Cases of Euthanasia in Oakland County, Michigan, 1990-1998," Correspondence, 343 New England Journal of Medicine 1735-6 (Dec. 7, 2000)].