Privacy Rights and the Right to Die

There is a wide range of public opinion about the right-to-die movement in the United States, yet It is only legal in a few states.

Learning Objective

Compare and contrast euthanasia and physician aid-in-dying

Key Points

The key difference between euthanasia and PAD is in who administers the lethal dose of medication. Euthanasia requires the physician or another third party to administer the medication.
The process of physician assisted suicide, set forth in law, includes requirements that the patient must be of sound mind when requesting assisted suicide as confirmed by a doctor and other witnesses, and the patient must be diagnosed with a terminal illness.
The Oregon Death with Dignity Act and the Washington statute modeled after it, set certain requirements and safeguards before a person may commit suicide with a doctor's assistance. The patient must be of sound mind when they request a prescription for a lethal dose of medication.

Term

Euthanasia
The act of putting a person or animal to death painlessly or allowing death if suffering from an incurable and painful condition.

Example

The state of Washington voters saw Ballot Initiative 119 in 1991, the state of California placed Proposition 161 on the ballot in 1992, Oregon voters passed Measure 16 (Death with Dignity Act) in 1994, the state of Michigan included Proposal B in their ballot in 1998, and Washington's Initiative 1000 passed in 2008.

Full Text

Background

Euthanasia is illegal in all states of the United States. Physician aid-in-dying (PAD), or assisted suicide, is legal in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Montana. The key difference between euthanasia and PAD is who administers the lethal dose of medication. Euthanasia requires the physician or another third party to administer the medication, whereas PAD requires the patient to self-administer the medication and to determine whether and when to do this. Attempts to legalize PAD resulted in ballot initiatives and "legislation bills" in the United States in the last 20 years, as follows.

Voters in the state of Washington saw Ballot Initiative 119 in 1991.
The state of California placed Proposition 161 on the ballot in 1992.
Oregon voters passed Measure 16 (Death with Dignity Act) in 1994.
The state of Michigan included Proposal B in their ballot in 1998.
Washington's Initiative 1000 passed in 2008.

Public Opinion on Euthanasia in the United States

There is a wide range of public opinion about euthanasia and the right-to-die movement in the United States, which reflects their religious and cultural diversity. During the past 30 years, public opinion research shows that views on euthanasia tend to correlate with religious affiliation and culture, though not gender.

Assisted Suicide in the United States

Physician-assisted suicide in the United States is legal in the states of Oregon, Montana, and Washington . The process is set forth in law, including the requirements that the patient must be of sound mind when requesting assisted suicide, as confirmed by a doctor and other witnesses. The patient must also be diagnosed with a terminal illness.

Map of USA highlighting euthanasia states

Map of the United States highlighting states and districts with legalized physician-assisted suicide.

The Oregon Death with Dignity Act and the Washington statute modeled after it, set certain requirements and safeguards before a person may commit suicide with a doctor's assistance. The patient must be of sound mind when they request a prescription for a lethal dose of medication. Two doctors must confirm a diagnosis of terminal illness with no more than six months to live. Two witnesses, one non-doctor unrelated to the patient, must confirm the patient's request, and the patient must make a second request after 15 days.

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