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The highest court in Massachusetts said in a decision Monday that allowing doctors to prescribe a lethal dose of medication to mentally competent patients with terminal illnesses is not protected by the state constitution. “Although we recognize the paramount importance and profound significance of all end-of-life decisions, after careful consideration, we conclude that the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights does not reach so far as to protect physician-assisted suicide,” the Supreme Judicial Court wrote in its decision. “We conclude as well that the law of manslaughter may prohibit physician-assisted suicide, and does so, without offending constitutional protections.” (Pratt, 12/19)

A doctor who provides life-ending medication to a patient can be prosecuted for manslaughter, the state’s highest court ruled Monday, declaring that the state constitution does not protect a right to what justices termed “physician-assisted suicide.” (Ellement and Weisman, 12/19)

Marylou Sudders, who has served longer than anyone else in recent memory as the state’s health secretary, is stepping down. In a note to staff Monday, Sudders said she had filed her papers for retirement for paid public service last month. The effective date will be Jan. 5. (Lazar, 12/19)

Gov. Mike Dunleavy has named the Alaska Department of Health’s interim leader as the agency’s new permanent commissioner. In a prepared statement Monday, he announced the appointment of Heidi Hedberg, who has served in a variety of roles within the state’s division of public health. Hedberg’s appointment is subject to confirmation by the Alaska Legislature. (Brooks and Beacon, 12/19)

One gift North Carolinians can be thankful for this holiday season is that the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season was a quiet one. This is not an insignificant gift when you consider how many residents are still recovering from hurricanes Matthew and Florence, which struck the state in 2016 and 2018 respectively, not to mention 2019’s Dorian and 2020’s Isaias. Beyond the environmental and property damage that occurred during the storms, many people are still grappling with the emotional trauma of having their lives altered — whether temporarily or permanently. (Atwater, 12/20)

KHN: The Official Who Investigates Suspicious Deaths In Your Town May Be A Doctor — Or Not 

When a group of physicians gathered in Washington state for an annual meeting, one made a startling revelation: If you ever want to know when, how — and where — to kill someone, I can tell you, and you’ll get away with it. No problem. That’s because the expertise and availability of coroners, who determine cause of death in criminal and unexplained cases, vary widely across Washington, as they do in many other parts of the country. “A coroner doesn’t have to ever have taken a science class in their life,” said Nancy Belcher, chief executive officer of the King County Medical Society, the group that met that day. (Young, 12/20)