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Thaddeus M. Pope, JD, PhD

American Academy of Neurology Drops Opposition to Medical Aid in Dying

By | Medical Aid in Dying | No Comments

Thaddeus Pope writes about the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) dropping its longtime opposition to legislation giving terminally ill patients the option of medical aid in dying (MAID). In addition, he identifies numerous local, state, regional, and national medical-related groups that have now taken a neutral position on MAID or endorsed its use.

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Medical Aid in Dying: When Legal Safeguards Become Burdensome Obstacles

By | Death With Dignity Act, Medical Aid in Dying | No Comments

In 2017, the District of Columbia (DC) became the seventh jurisdiction in the United States to legalize medical aid in dying,  which gives terminally ill patients the option of how and when they die. The new DC statute is nearly identical to earlier enacted medical aid in dying statutes in California, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington State.  Only Montana legalized medical aid in dying through a court decision, but subsequently, proponents of the act have failed in every attempt to legalize medical aid in dying through constitutional or statutory litigation.

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