Ethics-Governance: Article: eMJA: Wineberg, Physician-assisted suicide in Oregon: why so few occurrences?

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eMJA: Wineberg, Physician-assisted suicide in Oregon: why so few occurrences? Physician-assisted suicide in Oregon: why so few occurrences? Howard Wineberg MJA 2001; 174: 353-354 In the first three years that physician-assisted suicide (PAS) has been legal in Oregon, about two persons per month have taken medication to end their life. Most physicians are unwilling to prescribe the lethal medication. Because many terminally ill people are confined to their bed or home, the difficulty of finding a willing physician may have resulted in many abandoning the idea of using PAS. People living a long way from a large urban centre may be severely disadvantaged in their ability to obtain medication to end their lives. Physician-assisted suicide (PAS) has been legal in the state of Oregon, USA, for more than three years. The Oregon Health Division, the agency responsible for monitoring Oregon's Death with Dignity Act, has produced official reports documenting the number and characteristics of Oregonians who have used the provisions in the law to take medication to end their lives in the years 1998-2000.1-3 Only 70 people legally took medication to hasten their death during this period in this article I examine some of the reasons why. Legal requirements Under Oregon's law,4 only Oregon residents who are aged 18 or over and have a terminal illness with a life expectancy of less than six months are eligible to request a prescription for medication to end their life. Patients must self-administer (swallow) the medication euthanasia (involving a physician's active intervention) is not allowed. The physician's prognosis for the patient must be confirmed by a consulting physician and both physicians must determine that the patient is capable of making his or her own decision and does not have a mental health condition that impairs his or her judgement. Full Article: http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/174_07_020401/wineberg/wineberg.html


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