California Governor Jerry Brown (Democrat) signed Assisted Suicide Bill today to make the state the 5th to legalize physician-assisted suicide, following Oregon, Washington , Vermont and Montana.

"I don't know what I would do if I were in prolonged and excruciating pain." Brown , a former Catholic Seminarian, wrote in his signing message. " I am certain, however, that it would be a comfort to be able to consider the options afforded in this bill. And I wouldn't deny that right to others".

The California law is modeled like the controversial legislation in Oregon that permits a physician to prescribe a lethal drug to a terminally ill patient----defined as somone with less than 6 months to live----who requests its. However, certain prerequisites must be met, such as counselling on palliative and hospice care, and a determination that the patient is competent and making an independent decision.

Medical science (Modern Medicine) traditionally has opposed physician-assisted suicide, calling it a violation of the profession's imperative to "do no harm". All physicians in the world take the oath of "do no harm" while graduating from medical colleges. That used to be the stance of the California Medical Association (CMA) as well, but in June, the CMA announced it was taking a neutral position on the physician-assisted suicide bill that state lawmakers eventually passed. Survey shows that 54% of physicians in America supports assisted suicide.

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