If you think you qualify for MAID and your own health care professionals(s) do not participate, the Academy of Aid-in-Dying Medicine can refer you to a MAiD professional near you.
What is Medical Aid in Dying?
Medical aid in dying (MAiD) refers to the practice where a healthcare professional provides a terminally ill patient with the means to end their life.
Where is MAID Legal?
In the United States, Medical Aid in Dying is legal in twelve US jurisdictions: California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Montana, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.
Why Legalizing MAID Is Crucial
Compassionate Care for Terminal Patients: MAID provides a compassionate choice for patients in the final stages of terminal illness. It offers an escape from extreme pain and suffering, granting patients the autonomy to end their lives in a dignified and peaceful manner. This option is particularly crucial for those whose pain management needs cannot be fully met through existing medical interventions.
Ethical and Controlled Approach: Evidence from the 11 US jurisdictions where MAID is legal, including Washington D.C., demonstrates that MAID is a safe, ethical, and beneficial option. It operates under strict regulations that ensure it is a patient-driven decision, safeguarding against potential abuses and ensuring that it is used appropriately.
Public and Professional Support: Most Americans and healthcare professionals support the legalization of MAID. This public backing reflects a societal acknowledgment of the importance of personal choice and humane treatment at the end of life. Legalizing MAID would align state laws with the values and wishes of its people.
Enhancing Patient Autonomy: MAID recognizes the right of individuals to make informed decisions about their bodies and end-of-life care. By legalizing MAID, residents would be empowered to have greater control over the circumstances and conditions of their dying, respecting their inherent dignity.
Complementing Existing End-of-Life Options: People in the U.S. currently have the right to refuse or withdraw life-sustaining treatments, use voluntarily stopping eating and drinking (VSED), use voluntary assisted dying (VAD) in Switzerland, opt for palliative sedation, or seek support from Final Exit Network’s Exit Guides Program (www.finalexitnetwork.org). MAID would be an additional option, giving patients and their families more choices to consider what best aligns with their values and needs.
The Challenge with Dementia and MAID
Many Americans harbor a deep fear of living with late-stage dementia, a condition that slowly strips away cognitive functions, leading to a loss of self and autonomy. Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) currently does not cater to the needs of dementia patients primarily because eligibility requires that a patient be both terminally ill within six months and mentally competent to make decisions about their care. Unfortunately, by the time a dementia patient is considered terminally ill, they often no longer possess the mental capacity required to consent to MAID.
Conclusion
The legalization of MAID would not lead to more deaths but would instead offer a more peaceful, dignified death for those already near the end of their lives. It is a patient-centered, ethical approach that respects individual dignity and alleviates suffering. As debates continue and legislative efforts evolve, it is essential to focus on the compassionate aspects of MAID and the autonomy it provides to terminally ill patients. Everyone deserves the right to choose a peaceful end, and MAID can provide this choice.
Medial Aid in Dying News from Around the World
My Catholic priest tried to coerce my assisted dying vote June 30, 2025With great courage and integrity, a UK Member of Parliament stood up for his constituents and his conscience. Now he has to defend himself from backlash by his own church. Click Here to What the Catholic Preist Said About Voting for a UK Assisted Dying BillDocumentary: The Right to Die – Laura’s Final Journey to Switzerland March 20, 2025Laura, an 88-year-old woman, embarks on a final journey to Switzerland to take control of her own death. Through the eyes of her daughter and granddaughter, both filmmakers, this documentary captures Laura’s fearless decision, their emotional turmoil, and the ethical complexities of assisted dying. From a joyful European river cruise to the stark reality of ...Tuscany becomes the first region to approve assisted suicide in Roman Catholic Italy February 12, 2025Tuscany approved a bill regulating medically assisted suicide Tuesday, becoming Italy’s first region to approve a right-to-die law in the Roman Catholic country after the constitutional court effectively legalized the procedure in 2019. Click here to read the articleCBS Evening News: A look at terminal patients turning to medical aid in dying January 30, 2025CBS Evening News: A look at terminal patients turning to medical aid in dyingCalifornia’s Assisted Suicide Debate Deepens: Senator Pushes for Dementia Inclusion December 18, 2024California State Senator Catherine Blakespear is reigniting the debate over assisted suicide by seeking to expand the state’s End of Life Option Act (EOLOA). The 2016 law, which allows terminally ill adults with less than six months to live to request life-ending drugs, could soon include patients with early to mid-stage dementia and other non-terminal ...Delaware Governor Carney vetoes Medical-Aid-in-Dying legislation September 20, 2024Governor John Carney Friday vetoed legislation that would have allowed people with a terminal illness who are able to make sound decisions for themselves to get access to medication that would end their lives. House Bill 140 received final legislative approval in the State Senate in late June. However, it underwent several amendments and the issue has ...Citizens’ jury in England backs assisted dying for terminally ill September 13, 2024A citizens’ jury has overwhelmingly backed the legalisation of assisted dying for terminally ill people after hearing from experts over a period of eight weeks. Twenty out of 28 jurors based in England agreed the law should be changed, with seven disagreeing and one person saying they were undecided. The conclusions of the citizens’ jury were published with the ...Euthanasia in India: An Overview July 31, 2024Euthanasia in the simplest sense involves intentionally ending a person’s life to relieve ongoing suffering such as suffering from an irrecoverable or an incurable state of being and is a complex and evolving issue in the Indian landscape. While death with dignity is not only a legal issue but simultaneously a cultural and spiritual issue ...Report recommends Australia’s Northern Territories government legalize voluntary assisted dying, after months of consultation July 31, 2024A report into the development of voluntary assisted dying laws in the Northern Territory has recommended the government legalise the practice in line with other Australian jurisdictions. Released on Wednesday, the NT government-commissioned report summarised the findings of an independent panel of appointed experts following months of consultation across the territory. It made 22 recommendations, including that ...France to open debate on legalizing assisted suicide July 25, 2024French President Emmanuel Macron on July 23, 2024 announced a national debate on end-of-life options that will include exploring the possibility of legalizing assisted suicide. A 2016 French law provides that doctors can keep terminally ill patients sedated before death but stops short of allowing assisted suicide.Macron said in a written statement that a panel ...Vatican publishes ‘lexicon’ on end-of-life issues July 3, 2024The Pontifical Academy for Life released a new booklet to aid in the public debate on end-of-life issues. The booklet, published only in Italian July 2, offers clear definitions and the Catholic Church’s teaching on bioethics. The goal of the lexicon, Archbishop Paglia wrote, is to clear through “the jungle of intricate issues” and present ...UK mother admits ending life of terminally ill son 41 years ago July 3, 2024A mother has admitted giving her terminally ill seven-year-old son a large dose of morphine to stop his suffering and “quietly end his life”. Antonya Cooper, from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, said her son Hamish had stage 4 cancer and was in “a lot of pain” before his death in 1981. Now facing a terminal diagnosis herself, ...Staten Islander with ALS among those condemning N.Y. lawmakers for not passing Medical Aid in Dying Act: ‘I really needed it’ June 30, 2024It’s been just over three weeks since the New York state Legislature again failed to pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act, but the sting is still fresh for advocates of the proposed legislation. The act — which was first introduced in the state Senate in 2015 yet has failed to advance past the committee stage ...French parliament debates assisted dying bill June 30, 2024In May, France’s parliament began debating a controversial right-to-die bill backed by President Emmanuel Macron, who has made it a flagship reform of his second term. If the bill becomes law — at the end of discussions likely to last for more than a year — it will bring France closer in line with its ...UK daughter ‘considers breaking law’ to fulfill mother’s assisted dying wish June 30, 2024Dame Esther Rantzen’s daughter has said she is considering breaking the law to aid her mother’s wish of assisted dying.The 83-year-old, who fronted the BBC show That’s Life!, is one of the leading advocates for assisted suicide in the UK after being diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in January last year. The punishment for assisting another person’s ...Dying together: Why a happily married couple decided to stop living June 30, 2024In the Netherlands, this is known as duo-euthanasia. It’s legal, and it’s rare – but every year, more Dutch couples choose to end their lives this way. Jan and Els were married for almost five decades. In early June, they died together after being given lethal medication by two doctors. Read more about Jan and Els ...‘I want a choice’: terminally ill women urge UK House of Commons vote on assisted dying June 27, 2024Two women with incurable cancer are urging the next UK prime minister to allow a vote on assisted dying in the first 100 days of the new parliament and free them from fear of a painful death. Sophie Blake, 51, a former Sky Sports reporter, and Helen Skelton, 56, a psychotherapist, who both have stage 4 ...Delaware medical aid in dying bill heads to governor’s office for action June 27, 2024Legislation legalizing medical aid in dying in Delaware is headed to the governor’s desk after narrowly passing in the Delaware State Senate. The bill passed the Delaware Senate on an 11-10 vote June 25th after failing 9-9 last week. Senate sponsor Sen. Bryan Townsend changed his vote from “yes” to “no” so he could bring ...Scottish Parliamentarian Liam McArthur MSP introduces Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD) Bill May 23, 2024March 27, 2024 – Scottish Parliamentarian Liam McArthur MSP introduced Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD) bill on March 27, 2024. It will allow terminally ill adults in Scotland, who are eligible, to lawfully request, and be provided with, assistance by health professionals to end their own life. To be eligible to be provided with assistance to end ...Delaware advances medical aid-in-dying bill May 6, 2024In Delaware, a Medical Aid in Dying bill just passed the state House of Representatives and is now up for consideration by the state Senate. If you live in Delaware, it’s time to call, write, and email your state senator urging them to vote in favor of the bill. Click here to read moreOpinion: My advice for terminally ill Latinos like me: You have options March 20, 2024By José Alejandro Lemuz “I am dying from prostate cancer that has spread to my bones. But it’s comforting to know that I will likely soon die gently because I plan to use a medical aid-in-dying law championed by civil rights icon Dolores Huerta. Less than three percent of the Californians who used the law in 2022 were Latinos, ...California Department of Public Health Report on MAiD for 2022 August 10, 2023California End of Life Option Act Report 2022 Data ReportNew Video: A Visit to Pegasos February 16, 2022https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giTet2PLneU In this video, Christie shares the personal story of her mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at age 88. With no prospect of improvement, Christie’s mother decided to end her life at Pegasos in Switzerland. Christie has carefully presented the details of their planning and experience with Pegasos, hoping her experience will be helpful ...Assisted dying now legal in New Zealand, End of Life Choice Act a ‘huge relief’ for some November 7, 2021“We have to remember people who are eligible are already dying, this is just the way that they die – not the fact they will die.” https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/euthanasia-debate/300443715/assisted-dying-now-legal-in-new-zealand-end-of-life-choice-act-a-huge-relief-for-someThese people want to die. Will their countries allow euthanasia? October 22, 2021https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/people-want-die-will-countries-allow-euthanasia-rcna3307?fbclid=IwAR1JowKHVmEkCH_FAKZy-7UVmpboWLHmdnyjP8LjtfT3H-Q0-wPTfPM2QpENew Lawsuit Challenges Self-Administration in EOLOA August 30, 2021A group of doctors has just filed a lawsuit California challenging the self-administration requirement of the EOLOA. The complaint filed on 8/27/2021 states: “However, there is one group of Californians who cannot avail themselves of the benefits of this compassionate law: physically disabled individuals whose disability prevents them from self-administering the AID medication without assistance. ...Academy of Aid in Dying Medicine May 2, 2021A resource for patient-to-doctor referrals for medical aid in dying and educational information for clinical practitioners. Click HereI’m the Doctor Who Is Here to Help You Die March 2, 2021In an article adapted from the newly-released book “The Inevitable,” Dr. Lonny Shavelson, Chairman of the American Clinicians Academy on Medical Aid in Dying talks about his experiences prescribing life-ending drugs to terminally ill people in California and how he came to transition from emergency room doctor to end-of-life specialist. Most of his patients were ...Death with Dignity: How I helped my dad die February 2, 2021A daughter’s story of her father’s decision to end his life when he lost his independence and freedom due to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He was facing quadriplegia. Her dad sent her a text message saying he was ready to die, and he needed her to help. The safeguards of ...Patient Rights Eroded as Pendulum Swings to More Rights for Institutions April 23, 2020This important discussion highlights the ways in which faith-based institutions impose religious value based treatment decisions on doctors and patients. Most often, patients enter faith-based institutions without any idea that the institution is bound by Ethical Rights Directives which can prohibit participation in Medical Aid in Dying and other procedures the institution does not condone. Click ...First Conference on Clinician Training for Medical Aid in Dying February 25, 2020The conference was held in Berkeley, CA on 2/13-15/2020. Some things discussed: Drug protocols Dr. Shavelson, in conjunction with anesthesiologist Carol Parrot, have researched why some people – ‘outliers’ take so long to die. They have developed a list of “red-flags” that indicate a death may take longer than normal. They no longer give estimates of time ...Canadian Medical Assistance in Dying: Dr Ellen Wiebe January 22, 2020A Friends at the End talk by Dr Ellen Wiebe, a Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD) provider from Canada. Dr. Wiebe talks about the criteria for physician aid in dying in Canada and tells us about some of her patients, including some patients with dementia. At 18:00 she notes that Canadian law gives the patient ...How to Die in California September 22, 2019How to Die in California – expert speakers addressed the fundamentals of hospice, medical aid in dying, the Final Exit Network, and other exit options. The program begins with expert speakers addressing the fundamentals of hospice, medical aid in dying, the Final Exit Network, and other exit options. We see a compelling documentary of a ...2018 Statistics – California’s End of Life Option Act July 10, 2019The 2019 Annual Report is now out For 2018 337 California individuals died from ingestion of aid-in-dying drugs, a rate of 12.6 per 10,000 deaths based on 268,4743 deaths to California residents in 2018. 23 of those received their prescriptions in 2017. Compare with the Canadian Medical Aid in Dying system – which allows physician administered drugs: For ...Philip Nitschke Makes the Point that Rational Suicide should be a right July 1, 2019Philip Nitschke makes the point that it is an illusion that patients have choice in Medical Aid in Dying. It is the doctor who decides and no one else. The right the patient has is simply to ask the doctor for permission. Nitschke describes the medical model process as “beg and grovel” ...What It’s Like To Prescribe Aid-In-Dying Drugs May 15, 2019By Ryan Warner, Colorado Matters Podcast. May 1, 2019 A Colorado physician talks about medical aid in dying in Colorado. As he notes, you must ask about aid in dying. It is almost universal in the states that allow it that no one will offer this as an option; you must ask for it. Listen to the ...John L’Heureux on Death and Dignity April 29, 2019Writer John L’Heureux describes coming down with Parkinsons, and his decision to use California’s End of Life Option Act to end his life.You are in the Process of Dying March 25, 2019by Dan Ayre – This.org – March 25, 2019 A husband relates the story of his wife’s experience with Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) in Manitoba, Canada. In Canada, different provinces handle MAID differently. Two things stand out: 1. In Manitoba, a doctor, a social worker and a nurse, under the Winnipeg Health Authority, ...California’s Right-To-Die Law Still Has Some Kinks, Hearing Finds March 22, 2019By Sammy Caiola – capitol pubic radio – January 29, 2018 “Barbara Koenig, head of bioethics at the UC San Francisco, said bureaucracy can sometimes keep patients from exercising choice at life’s end. It’s a timing problem. If their disease progresses before they’re able to use the law, they may become too debilitated to qualify.” Read ...Belgian Catholic psychiatric hospitals ‘adjust’ their view of euthanasia March 21, 2019Belgian Catholic Brothers of Charity will allow euthanasia to take place in their psychiatric hospitals. “We take seriously unbearable and hopeless suffering and patients’ request for euthanasia.”The Doctors Who Invented a New Way to Help People Die March 21, 2019Excellent overview of how the drug formulas under Death with Dignity Laws came about. by Jennie Dear, The Atlantic, Jan 22, 2019Lecretia Seales’ widower makes his case for death with dignity March 20, 2019by Matt Vickers – North & South, March 20, 2019 In Switzerland, providing the means for a person to take their own life is legal if done from non-selfish motives. ‘“Giving access to assisted dying is, in fact, suicide prevention and suicide-attempt prevention.” In Seales v Attorney General, this was upheld by Justice David Collins, based on ...Canadian with bone cancer chooses assisted dying January 22, 2019This video features Dr. Stefanie Green, co-founder and current President of the Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers (CAMAP). Stefanie is medical advisor to the BC Ministry of Health medical aid in dying oversight committee and moderator of CAMAP’s national online forum. She is clinical faculty at UBC and UVic.Why California Must Still Fight For Death With Dignity December 13, 2018President of the Hemlock Society, Barry Price, Ph.D., makes a good case for why the medical aid in dying law should be expanded.As Catholic Hospitals Expand, So Do Limits on Some Procedures August 10, 2018By Katie Hafner – New York Times. Aug. 10, 2018 “One in six hospital patients in the United States is now treated in a Catholic facility, according to the Catholic Health Association, a membership organization that includes 90 percent of the Catholic hospitals in the United States. In a 2016 report, MergerWatch, a nonprofit group in ...What We Know About The People Who Have Used California’s Assisted Suicide Law June 25, 2018By Michelle Faust – laist June 25, 2018 “Dr. David Wallenstein, a palliative care doctor at UCLA Medical Center, said, “my impression is that people who tend to think in terms of aid-in-dying medications probably are people who really need — for whatever reason — to feel a sense of control.” Many of those who ...Maia Calloway. From the Dying in the Americas Conference – March 22-24, 2018 March 22, 2018Sponsor: Final Exit Network A Colorado woman with progressive multiple sclerosis turns to Life Circle in Switzerland to end her life with peace and dignity.I’m a doctor. Here’s what it’s like helping terminally ill patients end their lives September 21, 2017By Catherine Sonquist Forest – Vox, Sep 21, 2017 “Aid in dying has been legal in California for a year now. Many of my patients have been waiting for this.” Read MoreWhy few California doctors are assisting deaths for terminally ill September 22, 2016By Tracy Seipel – Bay Area News Group September 2016 “It’s a scene being played out throughout California, as scores of terminally ill patients are learning to their dismay — and outrage — that the state’s new aid-in-dying law comes with no guarantee of finding a doctor.” Read MoreWhat I Learned Helping My Sister Use California’s New Law to End Her Life August 6, 2016First woman to take advantage of California’s End of Life Option Act ? Opinion Piece by Kelly Davis – Voice of San Diego, August 9, 2016 Woman describes the experience of her sister, who had ALS, taking advantage of the End of Life Option Act shortly after it became available.How to Die in Oregon June 22, 2014Award Winning Documentary – including 2011 Sundance Film Festival U.S. Documentary Grand Jury Award This exceptional film documents how physician aid in dying works in Oregon by following a woman with liver cancer over the months following her diagnosis. There are interviews with various players, including a man with lung cancer, smoking a cigarette, ...