GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2001
S	1
SENATE BILL 390

 
 
Short Title:	Education on Physician-Assisted Suicide.	()	
Sponsors:	Senators Forrester, Purcell;  Allran, Berger, Bingham, Carpenter, Hartsell, Plyler, and Shaw of Guilford.	
Referred to:	Judiciary I.	
March 12, 2001

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT REQUIRing THE NORTH CAROLINA MEDICAL BOARD TO IMPLEMENT POLICIES TO train AND educate PERSONS LICENSED TO PRACTICE or persons desiring to practice MEDICINE IN THIS STATE on issues related to physician-assisted suicide.

Whereas, the North Carolina Medical Board was created to properly regulate the practice of medicine and surgery for the benefit and protection of the people of North Carolina; and 
Whereas, the State of North Carolina has an interest in prohibiting physician-assisted suicide and protecting human life; and
Whereas, physicians are involved in promoting death with dignity and preventing terminally ill patients from suffering painful deaths; and
Whereas, there is a need for persons practicing or desiring to practice medicine in this State to receive proper training and education on the various issues related to physician-assisted suicide and pain management; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. The North Carolina Medical Board shall implement the following policies:
(1)	Require that persons licensed to practice medicine in this State receive continuing education from the North Carolina Medical Society on the topic of pain management.
(2)	Require that all schools of medicine in this State develop a curriculum and train students regarding pain management, palliative care, and the use of hospice care.
(3)	Advise persons licensed to practice medicine in this State of the Board's policies relating to prescribing adequate amounts of medicine to patients with terminal diseases.
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.