Perspectives On California’s Aid-In-Dying Law
Editorial and opinion writers offer their take on California's new End of Life Option Act.
The Los Angeles Times:
Giving Patients Aid In Dying Is Compassionate Care
Thursday marks an historic day for Californians. For the first time, terminally ill patients in this state will be allowed to turn to their physicians for guidance and help on how to end their lives on their own terms. While many dying patients will not opt to take advantage of their rights under the End of Life Option Act, others facing a fatal prognosis from a brutal disease or condition will undoubtedly be comforted by the new law. (6/9)
The Sacramento Bee:
Helping Their Patients Die Won’t Be Easy For Doctors
On Thursday, California’s End of Life Option Act [went] into effect, enabling doctors to help terminal patients legally end their lives. It will be a victorious day for advocates of physician-assisted death, who are on the march to have similar laws in place soon in more than half the states. But for California’s already harried physicians, it will be the first of many challenging days ahead. First, they will have to decide if they are willing to write life-ending prescriptions. Many may feel ill-equipped or disinclined. The promise to help cure patients’ diseases that drove many doctors to study medicine is not the same as the promise to help them end their lives. (Jason Doctor, 6/8)
The Los Angeles Times:
As California's 'Death With Dignity' Law Takes Effect, What Can We Learn From Oregon's Experience With Assisted Suicide?
As California’s aid-in-dying law takes effect, a top Oregon health officer describes how terminally ill Oregonians use that state’s longstanding death with dignity law. Podcast. (Patt Morrison, 6/8)
Santa Rosa Press Democrat:
The Comfort Of A Humane, Caring End Of Life
In the end, the personal was political. What brought the 78-year-old California governor and former Jesuit seminarian to sign the law that will allow doctors to prescribe life-ending drugs to terminally ill patients was thinking about his own last days. “I do not know what I would do if I were dying in prolonged and excruciating pain,” wrote Jerry Brown, breaking a long silence on this issue. (Ellen Goodman, 6/8)
The Sacramento Bee:
We Welcome But Don’t Cheer End Of Life Option Act
Starting Thursday, California [became one of] five states that permit people facing certain, painful and often undignified deaths to take control of their fate. We don’t celebrate this milestone. But we are thankful it has arrived. Gov. Jerry Brown last October signed legislation by Sens. Lois Wolk, D-Davis, and Bill Monning, D-Carmel, allowing doctors to voluntarily prescribe lethal doses of drugs to people who are of sound mind but are in their final days. (6/8)
The Los Angeles Times:
Hospital Says It Will Comply With End-Of-Life Law — For Now
Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena will participate in California’s assisted suicide law when it takes effect Thursday. But that could change down the road. (David Lazarus, 6/7)