The slippery slope, voluntary decision-making, and equal protection

Slippery slope arguments deny rationality, moral precepts, and legal principles. Few of us who believe in a right to die go beyond the formulation of this right as a voluntary decision of one person about that person's life.  The view that no one has the right to take from us the liberty to make such decisions to end our lives except ourselves appears to be the norm in this society for those who are near the end of their lives because of disease or condition.  Voluntariness is inextricably bound up with the decision to die to escape suffering near the end of life.   (Continue reading ...)

Words matter

Words matter. Medical aid in dying (MAID or MAiD) is the term now widely accepted in law and medicine to describe the practice of a physician prescribing medication to a terminally ill, mentally competent, adult patient who may choose to ingest it to end suffering they find unbearable, and achieve a peaceful death. It is accurate language which should be used. Other terminology such as physician aid in dying may also be used, but increasingly there is a preference for the term medical aid in dying. (Continue reading ...)

One man’s experience using Washington’s PAD law

A Washington state man, Aaron McQ, described his illness (a rare form of ALS) as "terrifying . . . like waking up every morning in quicksand."  He agreed to discuss his experience with Kaiser News to help provide more understanding about how users feel after qualifying for PAD.  Over 3,000 terminally ill residents in the US have used PAD laws since Oregon's first took effect twenty years ago. This is one man's experience. (Continue reading ...)
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