Category: Death

Hepatitis C deaths hit all-time high in United States

160504112955-hepatitis-c-virus-restricted-exlarge-169(CNN)  Hepatitis C-related deaths reached an all-time high in 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday, surpassing total combined deaths from 60 other infectious diseases including HIV, pneumococcal disease and tuberculosis. The increase occurred despite recent advances in medications that can cure most infections within three months.

“Not everyone is getting tested and diagnosed, people don’t get referred to care as fully as they should, and then they are not being placed on treatment,” said Dr. John Ward, director of CDC’s division of viral hepatitis.  Source
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Florida weighs whether to overturn death sentences for nearly 400 inmates

deathpenalty0091403197092Florida has more death row inmates than nearly any other state in the country, and it remains a bastion of capital punishment as fewer executions are carried out nationwide. But after a frantic few months that saw Florida’s system of imposing death sentences struck down and rewritten, it remains an open question what will happen to the hundreds who remain on the state’s death row — and how much longer any of them will stay there.

On Thursday, the Florida Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that could lead to nearly 400 death-row prisoners receiving life sentences, a move experts say could be the country’s single biggest jettisoning of death sentences in decades.

“We’re looking at potentially the largest number of death sentences being vacated at a single time” since the early 1970s, said Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center.  Source

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NY state to consider assisted suicide law

05062016p07phAdvocates for physician-assisted suicide are on a roll as they hope to parlay their West Coast momentum to the Empire State.

Bills introduced in the New York State Legislature this session would allow terminally ill patients — those who have been given a diagnosis of six months or less to live — to request a lethal dose of drugs from two physicians. They must prove themselves mentally capable and have two witnesses to their request.

Physician-assisted suicide, also known as aid in dying, is legal in Oregon and Washington, and will soon be in California, as a newly passed bill there becomes law. Vermont and Montana also allow for the practice. It has been legal in Oregon for 18 years, longer than any other state.

Among its opponents are the New York state Catholic bishops, who, as in other states, argue that allowing physicians to kill dying patients violates medical ethics and will be used against the poor, the lonely and the forgotten.  Source

The bill’s supporters “see this as a bellwether state,” Kathleen Gallagher, director of pro-life activities for the New York State Catholic Conference, told NCR.

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Study: Suicide is 12th leading cause of death in Mississippi

10459644_gAccording to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in Mississippi.

WDAM 7 reported that a suicide took place at Purvis High School last week and in April a man took his life in Jasper County after a traffic accident.

Psychologist Mallory Malkin from Pine Grove said it is important to reach out to loved ones that are showing signs of depression like anger, shame, hopelessness or withdrawal.

“It’s one of those things that you really can’t dance around. It’s better to address it straight forward instead of being afraid to offend someone or hurt their feelings,” Malkin said.

In Mississippi, suicide is the third leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15 to 24 and Malkin said this is not surprising.  Source

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