Written Assignment – Right to Die, Death with Dignity Statutes

Written Assignment – Right to Die, Death with Dignity Statutes

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Currently there are 5 states in the U.S that enacted Death with Dignity Statutes. The first state to enact such a law was Oregon. These statutes were not enacted without controversy. For this week’s written assignment, research one of the states that enacted a Death with Dignity statute. In your paper, provide the applicable statute and a summary of how a patient would obtain the necessary means to end their life. For example, how do they qualify, what is the process to obtain the end of life medications, etc? Share your thoughts about the Death with Dignity Statutes. Do you agree or disagree? Why? Submit your completed assignment to the drop box below. Please check the Course Calendar for specific due dates.

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Death with Dignity laws, also known as physician-assisted dying or aid-in-dying laws, stem from the basic idea that it is the terminally ill people, not government and its interference, politicians and their ideology, or religious leaders and their dogma, who should make their end-of-life decisions and determine how much pain and suffering they should endure. Death with Dignity statutes allow mentally competent adult state residents who have a terminal illness with a confirmed prognosis of having 6 or fewer months to live to voluntarily request and receive a prescription medication to hasten their inevitable, imminent death. By adding a voluntary option to the continuum of end-of-life care, these laws give patients dignity, control, and peace of mind during their final days with family and loved ones. The protections in the Act ensure that patients remain the driving force in end-of-life care discussions. Existing physician-assisted dying laws mirror Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act, which is widely acclaimed as successful and which independent studies prove has safeguards to protect patients and prevents misuse. The Death with Dignity process is robust: