About The Patients Rights Council

The Patients Rights Council is committed to the principle that you have the right to know all the facts about the critical issues of life, death, and assisted suicide. Few issues are as important as the compassionate treatment and care for those who are most vulnerable.

Our primary responsibility is to offer understanding and practical support to those who are facing critical situations for themselves or a loved one.

Our second responsibility is to provide the public with rational, factual information about the results of doctor-prescribed suicide and euthanasia.

Eventually, each of us will confront end-of-life decisions for ourselves or in the lives of those we love. Most people understandably have mixed emotions. That’s why our laws must be sensitive to the human dimension of policies surrounding end-of-life decisions.

We all have the responsibility to understand how proposed laws, ballot measures and even court cases will impact our lives, our families, and our society as a whole. We have to balance our feelings with our rational consideration to reach a result that works best for individuals and for everyone else in society.

You have the right to know about proposals surrounding end-of-life decisions.

We have the responsibility to provide you with that information.

(The Patients Rights Council was previously known as the International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide.)

Networking

The Patients Rights Council builds and maintains strong networks with individuals and groups to influence policy and news coverage.

As part of this networking, the Patients Rights Council provides assistance and training in the most effective ways to address particular audiences regarding doctor-prescribed suicide, euthanasia, and end-of-life issues.

Individuals and organizations that network with the Patients Rights Council share a common concern about the dangers of doctor-prescribed suicide and euthanasia, but often hold widely differing views on other issues.

Educational Research & Materials Production

We believe that you are entitled to the best, most thoughtful, credible information. We have the responsibility to vulnerable patients, and to you, the public, to provide that information.

Patients Rights Council information is accurate and well documented. It is presented in clear, concise terms.

Current materials include:

Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide & Health Care Decisions: Protecting Yourself & Your Family

Health Care Advance Directives: What? When? How? Why?

Protective Medical Decisions Document (Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care – available in multi-state and state specific versions)

Oregon plus One (CD)

Beyond the Headlines (CD)

Not a Slippery Slope (CD)

Assisted Suicide & Death with Dignity: Past, Present & Future

Assisted Suicide: The Continuing Debate

The Food & Fluids Debate (Questions and Answers about “Artificial Feeding”)

Frequently Asked Questions about Euthanasia & Assisted Suicide

Euthanasia: False Light (video)

Update (Patients Rights Council)

Books currently available include:

Power over Pain: How to Get the Pain Control You Need

Culture of Death: The Assault on Medical Ethics in America

Deadly Compassion: The Death of Ann Humphrey & the Truth about Euthanasia

Forced Exit: The Slippery Slope from Assisted Suicide to Legalized Murder

Library

The Patients Rights Council’s Frank Reed Memorial Library maintains the most extensive and up-to-date collection in the world of books as well as periodical, newspaper and professional journal articles devoted to euthanasia, assisted suicide and end-of-life issues.

Media Relations

Patients Rights Council spokespersons are often seen on conference rosters and news programs, but it primarily works behind the scenes with policy makers and journalists around the world to influence the court of law and the court of public opinion.

The Patients Rights Council maintains an excellent relationship with media professionals, often providing information and initial leads for feature stories and investigative reports.

Center for Law and Bioethics

The Patients Rights Council analyzes the legal and bioethical implications of policies and laws. It frequently provides assistance to attorneys and those involved in the field of bioethics. The Patients Rights Council is developing a network of attorneys willing to devote time to protecting the rights of vulnerable people and their families.


The Patients Rights Council is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) educational and research organization.

It addresses euthanasia, assisted suicide and end-of-life issues from a public policy perspective.

It is funded by private donations and foundation grants.

Donations to the Patients Rights Council are tax-deductible.