eee eee nt ree eee “ nepmenmatet anton pve wcBy The Numbers: DEATH WITH DIGNITY LAWS IN AMERICA DEATH WITH DIGNITY STATES ‘asnoyng practees ere prteced in he sates, ‘ether by vted lfslaton or case ruin. Advocates say! catarive Vv 1m Death with dignity laws alow terminal patiensto die on their own terms. Thelaws ivepatientsthechoiceto use ain éyingit ‘their sulfering becomes unbearable. 1 State that don’ authorize aid in dying have unclear and unenforceable laws. An under ‘ground practice hasno safeguards. An autho- ‘ized practice facilitates transparency and pro- vides safeguards such as mandatory reporting aandstate oversight, 1m The protic of ad in dying docs not replace ‘end oflife care Patientstill have the choice of dying in their own homes, and receiving hos- pce and pallitivecareas analternativetoacute ‘hospital care. 1m Ending the dying process by withdraw {ng fe suppor for terminally patients isa routine practice in which palerts may not be consakedifthey are unconscious Aidin ing ‘provide patient with tonomy and lowe ‘them toaveid life suppar that would extend ‘their dying process, but not their quality of ie Opponents say: Vv \m Patients might be pressuredto take their own lives by family members andoothers who wich tasavemaney crend the burden of caring for semeone with a debilitating ness. 1 Once the pills are available, anyonecan ad ‘minister them - particularly ifthat patient has Jost mental and physica faculties even fthat patient has decked against taking the pills ‘More than half Oregon death donot have health care provider present tthe time the drugs are administered. 1 Because aid-indyingis ess expensivethan cendflifecae its avallability could affect 4ecison-makingal the insurance. doctorand patient levels. 1m Ws often dificult to pret which sick patient is goingta die imminenty. as opposed to getting better with intensive care. The longest person lived in Oregon after getingthe Prescription was 1609 days,or more than as years