Pubdate: Wed, 20 Aug 2008
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2008 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: James Battershill

PATIENTS FIRST

After almost 60 years in medicine, I am pleased that health Minister 
Tony Clement has seen fit to upgrade my ethics. Perhaps he might 
consider the one with which we doctors started: "Act only in the 
interests of the patient."

It is clearly in the interests of these poor souls to provide them 
with a safe-injection site, pending proper management of the problem 
by the politicians who handle the purse strings.

May I suggest a pill that combines their psychiatric medication with 
a narcotic? It might just give them some kind of a life -- but then I'm senile.

James Battershill, North Vancouver
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom