PHYSICIANS FOR MERCY 
 
APPROVED GUIDELINES FOR PATHOLYSIS 
(MEDICALLY-ASSISTED SUICIDE) 
 
1. THE REQUEST FOR PATHOLYSIS MUST BE MADE 
VOLUNTARILY BY THE PATIENT.  
 
2. THE REQUEST MUST BE IN WRITING, DATED, AND 
SIGNED BY THE PATIENT AND BY ANY PHYSICIAN 
INVOLVED IN THE REQUEST, AS WELL AS SIGNED BY 
TWO COMPETENT ADULTS AS WITNESSES HAVING NO 
FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PATIENT AND NO 
FINANCIAL INTEREST IN THE PATIENT'S LIFE OR DEATH.  
THE SIGNATURES OF THE WITNESSES MUST BE 
NOTARIZED.  
 
3. THE REQUEST THUS VALIDATED IS TO BE 
FORWARDED TO A QUALIFIED OBITIATRIST WHO WILL 
REFER THE PATIENT FOR MEDICAL CONSULTATION TO:  
 
- A SPECIALIST DEALING WITH THE PATIENT'S SPECIFIC 
AFFLICTION  
 
- A SPECIALIST IN PAIN MANAGEMENT (IF PAIN IS A 
MAJOR FACTOR)  
 
- A PSYCHIATRIST (IN EVERY CASE) 
 
 
4. THE ABOVE CONSULTATIONS MUST VERIFY THE 
PATIENT'S MENTAL COMPETENCE WITH REGARD TO 
MAKING AN INDEPENDENT INFORMED DECISION, AND 
VERIFY THAT THE AFFLICTION IS INCURABLE, THAT THE 
AGONY CANNOT BE RELIEVED OR CONTROLLED, 
AND/OR THAT THE SIDE EFFECTS OF PAIN 
MANAGEMENT OR MEDICAL THERAPY ARE 
INTOLERABLE FOR THE PATIENT.  
 
5. COMPLETED REPORTS OF ALL CONSULTATIONS MUST 
CONFORM TO CURRENT MEDICAL STANDARDS.  THE 
REPORTS ARE TO BE SENT TO THE OBITIATRIST, OR 
WITH THE REQUESTING PHYSICIAN, OR WITH ANOTHER 
PHYSICIAN DESIGNATED BY THE PATIENT.  
 
6. THE TIME AND SITE OF THE FINAL PATHOLYTIC 
PROCEDURE ARE TO BE DECIDED SOLELY BY THE 
PATIENT.  THIS DECISION MUST BE MADE WITHIN THREE 
WEEKS AFTER REVIEW OF THE CONSULTATION 
REPORTS; THE DECISION MUST BE DOCUMENTED AS AN 
INFORMED CONSENT IN WRITING, DATED, TIMED, AND 
SIGNED BY THE PATIENT UNDER CONDITIONS SET 
FORTH IN PARAGRAPH TWO (2) ABOVE.  
 
7. THE FINAL PATHOLYTIC PROCEDURE MUST BE 
PERFORMED WITHIN SEVENTY-TWO (72) HOURS OF THE 
TIME OF SIGNING OF THE INFORMED CONSENT, BUT NO 
SOONER THAN TWENTY FOUR (24) HOURS FROM THE 
DATE OF SUCH SIGNING.  
 
8. THIS ENTIRE PROCESS FROM THE INITIAL REQUEST TO 
THE FINAL PATHOLYTIC PROCEDURE SHALL BE 
CONSTANTLY UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE PATIENT 
WHO MAY STOP IT AT ANY TIME.  
 
9. EVERY PHYSICIAN INVOLVED AT ANY TIME IN THE 
ENTIRE PROCESS DELINEATED HEREIN (EXCEPT THE 
OBITIATRIST) MAY BE PRESENT TO OBSERVE OR 
CONSOLE, BUT WILL NOT PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY IN 
THE FINAL PROCEDURE OF PATHOLYSIS.  
 
10. THE FINAL ACTION IS TO BE PERFORMED ONLY BY 
AN OBITIATRIST AND THERE WILL BE NO PROFESSIONAL 
FEE FOR THE SERVICE.