California’s landmark aid-in-dying law took effect just over one year ago—and advocates say it is working as intended, giving mentally competent terminally ill people the option to get a prescription for drugs that can end their lives peacefully. Managing editor Tami Roleff has more…
It’s been just over a year now since the California End-of-Life Option Act went into effect– and at least 500 terminally ill people have requested the prescription for the necessary medication. There are no statistics on how many people have chosen this option, but Kat West, with the nonprofit Compassion and Choices, says many people get the medication but may not use it right away, or at all.
“Terminally ill people want to have the medication primarily for the sense of peace and the comfort that it brings and that they can choose to take if their suffering becomes unbearable.”
About 80 percent of insurance plans cover the medication. Before its passage, the Catholic Church and other groups opposed the California End-Of-Life Option Act, citing religious and moral concerns.
“Medical aid-in-dying should become normalized and integrated into the standard of care in California so that everyone has meaningful access to this compassionate end-of-life care option.”
California is one of six states plus Washington, D.C. that permit the practice.
CALIFORNIA AID-IN-DYING LAW MARKS ONE YEAR
