Medical Aid-in-Dying.
What is medical aid-in-dying?
Medical aid-in-dying consists of taking medications to prematurely end one’s life.
Is that legal?
Medical aid-in-dying has been legal in California since 2016, but only for patients who are residents of California, already have a terminal illness and are expected to live for less than six months, and who are of sound mind.
What does the process entail?
The most important step is to determine eligibility, which usually involves identifying medical records that document a patient’s terminal illness. A written request form must be filled out and signed by two witnesses. Then a patient must have two visits with two different doctors, separated by at least 48 hours to confirm their eligibility and their desire to move forward. Once these legal requirements are met, a prescription for life-ending medications is written. Some patients decide to take the medicines right away, and some patients never take it at all - up until taking the medication, the patient always has the option to decide not to take the medication.
How does the prescription work?
The medicines come in a powder. This powder is very bitter, so it is mixed with simple syrup (or something else that is very sweet), and many patients use a large straw to drink it, to help drink it more quickly without tasting it. A patient can either drink the medicine or use a rectal tube or another type of feeding tube to “ingest” the liquid, but it is important that they be able to administer the medication to themselves, within two minutes. Once the medicine is ingested, most patients fall into a deep sleep within a few minutes, and die within a few hours.
Intake Form for Aid-in-Dying
Fill out the form regarding your specific request, and I will get back to you within one business day.