Status of the Right to Euthanasia When Suffering a Terminal Illness
Currently, there are only a few rare states in the U.S. that allow physician assisted suicide. Oregon and Washington are among them. Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the most well known advocate of the right to assisted death, passed away on June 3, 2011. In his efforts to stimulate a national debate on the right to physician assisted suicide, Dr. Kevorkian went so far as to videotape the assisted death of his patient. He then intentionally aired it on national television, which ultimately led to him spending nearly a decade in prison for committing an act which is now legal in a few U.S. states.
Dr. Kevorkian said he witnessed his own mother suffer tremendous pain while she was dying from cancer. It was reported he and his sisters asked her doctor to help her pass, but he refused. This experience may have had a great impact on how Jack Kevorkian viewed requests for euthanasia from those suffering painful and debilitating terminal illnesses.
Those who have watched a loved one suffer through the end stages of cancer, ALS, Parkinsons, AIDS, leukemia, Alzheimers, and similar types of diseases may be concerned about how laws prohibiting euthanasia may affect them in the future. For more information, see the resources listed below.
Oregon
A form of physician assisted suicide or euthanasia is available to terminally ill residents of the State of Oregon if they meet certain requirements under the Oregon Death with Dignity Act. For information about physician assisted suicide in Oregon, see the Oregon Public Health Authority website.
Washington
A form of physician assisted suicide or euthanasia is available to terminally ill residents of the State of Washington if they meet certain requirements under the Washington Death with Dignity Act. For information about physician assisted suicide in Washington, see the Washington State Department of Health Death with Dignity Act web page.
Information on Right to Die Laws in Other States
An excellent resource on right to die issues is The World Federation of Right to Die Societies. If you want the right to assisted death or euthanasia in the event you suffer a terminal illness, their website provides information on legislative developments in various U.S. states and jurisdictions throughout the world, as well as resources for those with an immediate interest in physician assisted suicide.
For a More Comprehensive Review of Euthanasia in the U.S.
The following books provide information and discussions about the moral, ethical, and legal issues involved in physician assisted suicide and how state laws affect a person's right to die in the United States:
