Oregon passed its Death with Dignity Act (DWDA) in 1997. The legislation fell just short of Dr Kevorkian’s method by allowing doctors to prescribe medication to end life but not give it. The patients must self-administer the lethal dose. As you might imagine, the regulations and protocols involved are strict, and if the physician does not adhere to them, they can lose their license to practice medicine.

The DWDA ensures bodily autonomy for people dying from a terminal illness. Allowing patients to make end-of-life medical decisions for themselves and end their suffering on their terms wasn’t always the case in Oregon and is still not legal in most of the US.. However, the latest Gallop poll in 2018 shows that 72% of Americans believe that one should have the right to a physician’s assistance to end their own life. In other words, US laws have a lot of catching up to do.

Criteria and Eligibility

To request a lethal dose of medication, one must be at least 18 years old. They have to be conscious and capable of communicating their own health decisions. They must have a doctor’s prognosis of 6 months or less to live as a result of a terminal illness. The act requires that a patient make two verbal requests for medication. The patient must then follow up with a written request in the presence of two witnesses, one of which must be non-related. Patients sometimes are subject to a psychological examination if their physician believes psychological disorders such as depression might be clouding their judgment. The physician must inform the patient of alternatives such as hospice care and pain control. Some but not all physicians require notifying the next of kin of the patient’s request. Both doctors and pharmacists must report to a government agency each time a lethal medication is prescribed and filled. Before 2022, the law required the patient to be an Oregon resident. DWDA FAQ

Cases

There are countless stories from people around the world who are suffering greatly and do not have the right to die with dignity due to their location. They argue that the dignity we afford pets at the end of life should be available to humans. Noel Conway, a man located in the UK suffered from Motor Neuron Disease, a condition which caused his muscles to deteriorate to the point of paralysis, inability to breathe unassisted, and partial loss of vision. He used the final chapter of his life to support death with dignity.

I have spent the last several years campaigning to have the law changed but without success, although the topic itself has been aired nationally and is much more prominent now than it ever was. I am glad that Parliament is continuing to discuss it and investigate the possibilities of an assisted dying law in line with many other countries over the last few years.

Noel Conway, Campaign for Dignity in Dying

Sandy Briden was a chemistry lecturer in London who was diagnosed with Sarcoma tumors in her abdomen. In the absence of death with dignity laws, she worried about what the end of her life would look like. Would there be unbearable pain? Would she suffer, and for how long? She viewed death with dignity as a lifeline.

Knowing I had the option of an assisted death when things get too much would allow me to live now without the constant fear of what might happen at the end. For me assisted dying isn’t about dying, it’s about living.

Sandy Briden, Campaign for Dignity in Dying

Be the Change

For many facing an uncertain future possibly filled with pain and suffering, death with dignity laws are the humane alternative. Just knowing it’s an option can help patients take back control of their lives from their disease. That alone can end some of their suffering, even if they don’t choose to exercise their right to death with dignity. There are many ways you can help make this option available to the people who need it. For more information and ways to help, please visit Death with Dignity.