Law in Action Essay -- State Rights, Oregon

Along with the American right to live with certain inalienable freedoms, citizens of Oregon have had the opportunity to exercise their state-given â€Å"right to die† for the previous 17 years. In response to citizen initiative, the State of Oregon passed the Death With Dignity Act (DWDA) in 1994 to allow terminally ill patients the access to a lethal dose of doctor-prescribed medication. Oregon is one of only two U.S. states with â€Å"Death With Dignity† legislation, and it has vigorously protected this act from criticism and attempted legal invalidation for years (Office of Disease Prevention and Epidemiology, n.d.). Despite vehement opposition and regular ethical questioning, DWDA has successfully allowed hundreds of gravely ill Oregon citizens to safely control the circumstances of their death. With improvements to its system of collecting patient data, its mental health evaluation requirements, and its level of doctor accountability, the law could provide this ser vice in an even more efficient and responsible way. From its official enactment in 1997, DWDA has aimed to provide qualified, terminally ill Oregon patients the opportunity to end their lives through the use of a doctor-prescribed, self-administered, lethal prescription (The Oregon Death With Dignity Act, 1994). A patient wishing to receive the prescription must be 18 years of age, a resident of Oregon, mentally competent, and diagnosed with a fatal disease that will likely lead to death within six months, and the patient must pass through a multitude of safeguards. First, a patient must make two oral requests for the medication to his or her physician 15 days apart, followed by a signed written request. Then two separate doctors evaluate the individual’s cognitive capabilit... ... peace of mind for the family, and for the legal security of the doctor, patients should undergo supervision until the time of their death, not merely until the time they receive the prescription. This final addition to DWDA would greatly increase approval within the medical community for this exceedingly debated law. Through two legal attempts to invalidate the law and years of criticism from a wide range of adversaries, DWDA has managed to provide a valuable service to over 500 ailing Oregon patients. Legislators could avoid future legal challenges and improve the safety for participating individuals by enacting and enforcing a few powerful safeguards regarding doctor accountability and patients’ mental health. Regardless, DWDA sets an unparalleled precedent in the realm of assisted suicide, and other states should strive for similar revolutionary legislation. Law in Action Essay -- State Rights, Oregon Along with the American right to live with certain inalienable freedoms, citizens of Oregon have had the opportunity to exercise their state-given â€Å"right to die† for the previous 17 years. In response to citizen initiative, the State of Oregon passed the Death With Dignity Act (DWDA) in 1994 to allow terminally ill patients the access to a lethal dose of doctor-prescribed medication. Oregon is one of only two U.S. states with â€Å"Death With Dignity† legislation, and it has vigorously protected this act from criticism and attempted legal invalidation for years (Office of Disease Prevention and Epidemiology, n.d.). Despite vehement opposition and regular ethical questioning, DWDA has successfully allowed hundreds of gravely ill Oregon citizens to safely control the circumstances of their death. With improvements to its system of collecting patient data, its mental health evaluation requirements, and its level of doctor accountability, the law could provide this ser vice in an even more efficient and responsible way. From its official enactment in 1997, DWDA has aimed to provide qualified, terminally ill Oregon patients the opportunity to end their lives through the use of a doctor-prescribed, self-administered, lethal prescription (The Oregon Death With Dignity Act, 1994). A patient wishing to receive the prescription must be 18 years of age, a resident of Oregon, mentally competent, and diagnosed with a fatal disease that will likely lead to death within six months, and the patient must pass through a multitude of safeguards. First, a patient must make two oral requests for the medication to his or her physician 15 days apart, followed by a signed written request. Then two separate doctors evaluate the individual’s cognitive capabilit... ... peace of mind for the family, and for the legal security of the doctor, patients should undergo supervision until the time of their death, not merely until the time they receive the prescription. This final addition to DWDA would greatly increase approval within the medical community for this exceedingly debated law. Through two legal attempts to invalidate the law and years of criticism from a wide range of adversaries, DWDA has managed to provide a valuable service to over 500 ailing Oregon patients. Legislators could avoid future legal challenges and improve the safety for participating individuals by enacting and enforcing a few powerful safeguards regarding doctor accountability and patients’ mental health. Regardless, DWDA sets an unparalleled precedent in the realm of assisted suicide, and other states should strive for similar revolutionary legislation.