Musings: Give the terminally ill who are suffering a choice
The next state legislative session in Albany, beginning in January, provides a new chance to allow a vote on the Medical Aid in Dying bill. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
The British Parliament recently passed a law that would legalize medical aid in dying (MAID) in England and Wales. Although polling shows support for MAID by most New Yorkers regardless of age, gender, educational level, race, disability, or religion, the New York State Legislature failed to pass MAID legislation for the ninth year in a row at its last session — without it being permitted to come to the floor for a vote.
MAID gives suffering, terminally ill individuals who are dying but mentally sound the option to choose a humane manner of death. MAID is giving a choice between living with unbearable suffering or dying sooner and, therefore, should not be considered assisted suicide.
MAID is currently legal in 10 states, including our neighbor New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. The laws in each of these jurisdictions are like the Death With Dignity Law passed in Oregon in 1997. After decades of MAID applications in the United States, no cases of abuse have been documented.
The pending New York State legislation provides that MAID will be available to persons who have an illness with a prognosis for living for less than six months.
This must be documented by two independent physicians who are also required to determine whether applicants are sufficiently mentally sound to decide to end their lives. They also must determine that applicants have not been coerced to apply for MAID. If there is a question about the applicant being mentally sound, that individual is referred to a mental health professional for evaluation.
Those who qualify for MAID are given a prescription for life-ending drugs that must be self-administered at a time of their choosing, usually when suffering has become unbearable despite all medical and palliative interventions. About a third of those given the drugs never use them but they are comforted in knowing that they’re available if needed.
MAID is a humane option for those close to death that gives them control over their manner of death. It should be legalized in the next legislative session, which begins in January.
— Dr. Yale Rosen, North Bellmore
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