Oregon Physician-Assisted Suicide Law Marks 10 Years
In the 10 years since Oregon enacted a law allowing physicians to prescribe life-ending drugs to terminally ill patients in some cases, no other state has legalized the practice, NPR's "Day to Day" reports.
At the time the law was passed, its author predicted other states soon would enact similar measures (Fogarty, "Day to Day," NPR, 10/29).
In California, Assembly members Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys) and Patty Berg (D-Santa Rosa) co-authored a physician-assisted suicide bill last year that was passed in the Assembly but defeated by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Levine and Berg reintroduced the bill this year along with Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez (D-Los Angeles) but pulled the measure before its scheduled vote because of a lack of support (California Healthline, 6/8).
The "Day to Day" segment includes comments from:
- Margaret Battin, a University of Utah researcher who has studied the Oregon law;
- Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.);
- President Bush;
- Ken Stevens, a spokesperson for Physicians for Compassionate Care; and
- An Oregon resident whose brother is considering physician-assisted suicide ("Day to Day," NPR, 10/29).
Audio of the segment is available online. This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.