Physician-assisted dying (PAD)

 PAD occurs when a physician facilitates a patient’s death by providing the necessary means (e.g.,
lethal doses of prescription drugs) and/or information to enable the patient to perform a life-
ending act. 

 The actions are carried out by the patient, not the physician.

 States with legal PAD as of 2021:

o Oregon 

o Washington State 

o California 

o Montana (ruled “not illegal”)

o Colorado 

o New Mexico

o Maine

o Vermont

o New Jersey

o Washington, DC

o Hawaii

 These states have statutes that generally exempt physicians from civil or criminal liability when
“in compliance with specific safeguards, they dispense or prescribe a lethal dose of drugs
requested by a state resident with a terminal illness that, within reasonable medical judgement,
will cause death within six months.”

 States with explicitly illegal PAD:

o Alabama

o Arkansas

o Georgia

o Idaho

o Ohio

o Rhode Island
  Characteristics of the ideal patient in which PAD could be considered (would sustain the
argument of death as rationally good):

o Terminally ill patient without a hope of cure

o Situation of intolerable suffering

o No further ways to alleviate symptoms or enhance QOL 

o Their desire for death is not attributable to untreated pain or depression.

Physician-assisted dying (PAD)

 PAD occurs when a physician facilitates a patient’s death by providing the necessary means (e.g.,
lethal doses of prescription drugs) and/or information to enable the patient to perform a life-
ending act. 

 The actions are carried out by the patient, not the physician.

 States with legal PAD as of 2021:

o Oregon 

o Washington State 

o California 

o Montana (ruled “not illegal”)

o Colorado 

o New Mexico

o Maine

o Vermont

o New Jersey

o Washington, DC

o Hawaii

 These states have statutes that generally exempt physicians from civil or criminal liability when
“in compliance with specific safeguards, they dispense or prescribe a lethal dose of drugs
 requested by a state resident with a terminal illness that, within reasonable medical judgement,
will cause death within six months.”

 States with explicitly illegal PAD:

o Alabama

o Arkansas

o Georgia

o Idaho

o Ohio

o Rhode Island

 Characteristics of the ideal patient in which PAD could be considered (would sustain the
argument of death as rationally good):

o Terminally ill patient without a hope of cure

o Situation of intolerable suffering

o No further ways to alleviate symptoms or enhance QOL 

o Their desire for death is not attributable to untreated pain or depression.

Physician-assisted dying (PAD)

 PAD occurs when a physician facilitates a patient’s death by providing the necessary means (e.g.,
lethal doses of prescription drugs) and/or information to enable the patient to perform a life-
ending act. 

 The actions are carried out by the patient, not the physician.

 States with legal PAD as of 2021:

o Oregon 

o Washington State 

o California 

o Montana (ruled “not illegal”)

o Colorado 
 o New Mexico

o Maine

o Vermont

o New Jersey

o Washington, DC

o Hawaii

 These states have statutes that generally exempt physicians from civil or criminal liability when
“in compliance with specific safeguards, they dispense or prescribe a lethal dose of drugs
requested by a state resident with a terminal illness that, within reasonable medical judgement,
will cause death within six months.”

 States with explicitly illegal PAD:

o Alabama

o Arkansas

o Georgia

o Idaho

o Ohio

o Rhode Island

 Characteristics of the ideal patient in which PAD could be considered (would sustain the
argument of death as rationally good):

o Terminally ill patient without a hope of cure

o Situation of intolerable suffering

o No further ways to alleviate symptoms or enhance QOL 

o Their desire for death is not attributable to untreated pain or depression.

Physician-assisted dying (PAD)
 PAD occurs when a physician facilitates a patient’s death by providing the necessary means (e.g.,
lethal doses of prescription drugs) and/or information to enable the patient to perform a life-
ending act. 

 The actions are carried out by the patient, not the physician.

 States with legal PAD as of 2021:

o Oregon 

o Washington State 

o California 

o Montana (ruled “not illegal”)

o Colorado 

o New Mexico

o Maine

o Vermont

o New Jersey

o Washington, DC

o Hawaii

 These states have statutes that generally exempt physicians from civil or criminal liability when
“in compliance with specific safeguards, they dispense or prescribe a lethal dose of drugs
requested by a state resident with a terminal illness that, within reasonable medical judgement,
will cause death within six months.”

 States with explicitly illegal PAD:

o Alabama

o Arkansas

o Georgia

o Idaho

o Ohio

o Rhode Island
  Characteristics of the ideal patient in which PAD could be considered (would sustain the
argument of death as rationally good):

o Terminally ill patient without a hope of cure

o Situation of intolerable suffering

o No further ways to alleviate symptoms or enhance QOL 

o Their desire for death is not attributable to untreated pain or depression.

Physician-assisted dying (PAD)

 PAD occurs when a physician facilitates a patient’s death by providing the necessary means (e.g.,
lethal doses of prescription drugs) and/or information to enable the patient to perform a life-
ending act. 

 The actions are carried out by the patient, not the physician.

 States with legal PAD as of 2021:

o Oregon 

o Washington State 

o California 

o Montana (ruled “not illegal”)

o Colorado 

o New Mexico

o Maine

o Vermont

o New Jersey

o Washington, DC

o Hawaii

 These states have statutes that generally exempt physicians from civil or criminal liability when
“in compliance with specific safeguards, they dispense or prescribe a lethal dose of drugs
requested by a state resident with a terminal illness that, within reasonable medical judgement,
will cause death within six months.”
  States with explicitly illegal PAD:

o Alabama

o Arkansas

o Georgia

o Idaho

o Ohio

o Rhode Island

 Characteristics of the ideal patient in which PAD could be considered (would sustain the
argument of death as rationally good):

o Terminally ill patient without a hope of cure

o Situation of intolerable suffering

o No further ways to alleviate symptoms or enhance QOL 

o Their desire for death is not attributable to untreated pain or depression.

Physician-assisted dying (PAD)

 PAD occurs when a physician facilitates a patient’s death by providing the necessary means (e.g.,
lethal doses of prescription drugs) and/or information to enable the patient to perform a life-
ending act. 

 The actions are carried out by the patient, not the physician.

 States with legal PAD as of 2021:

o Oregon 

o Washington State 

o California 

o Montana (ruled “not illegal”)

o Colorado 

o New Mexico

o Maine

o Vermont
 o New Jersey

o Washington, DC

o Hawaii

 These states have statutes that generally exempt physicians from civil or criminal liability when
“in compliance with specific safeguards, they dispense or prescribe a lethal dose of drugs
requested by a state resident with a terminal illness that, within reasonable medical judgement,
will cause death within six months.”

 States with explicitly illegal PAD:

o Alabama

o Arkansas

o Georgia

o Idaho

o Ohio

o Rhode Island

 Characteristics of the ideal patient in which PAD could be considered (would sustain the
argument of death as rationally good):

o Terminally ill patient without a hope of cure

o Situation of intolerable suffering

o No further ways to alleviate symptoms or enhance QOL 

o Their desire for death is not attributable to untreated pain or depression.

Physician-assisted dying (PAD)
 PAD occurs when a physician facilitates a patient’s death by providing the necessary means (e.g.,
lethal doses of prescription drugs) and/or information to enable the patient to perform a life-
ending act. 

 The actions are carried out by the patient, not the physician.

 States with legal PAD as of 2021:

o Oregon 

o Washington State 
 o California 

o Montana (ruled “not illegal”)

o Colorado 

o New Mexico

o Maine

o Vermont

o New Jersey

o Washington, DC

o Hawaii

 These states have statutes that generally exempt physicians from civil or criminal liability when
“in compliance with specific safeguards, they dispense or prescribe a lethal dose of drugs
requested by a state resident with a terminal illness that, within reasonable medical judgement,
will cause death within six months.”

 States with explicitly illegal PAD:

o Alabama

o Arkansas

o Georgia

o Idaho

o Ohio

o Rhode Island

 Characteristics of the ideal patient in which PAD could be considered (would sustain the
argument of death as rationally good):

o Terminally ill patient without a hope of cure

o Situation of intolerable suffering

o No further ways to alleviate symptoms or enhance QOL 

o Their desire for death is not attributable to untreated pain or depression.

Physician-assisted dying (PAD)
 PAD occurs when a physician facilitates a patient’s death by providing the necessary means (e.g.,
lethal doses of prescription drugs) and/or information to enable the patient to perform a life-
ending act. 

 The actions are carried out by the patient, not the physician.

 States with legal PAD as of 2021:

o Oregon 

o Washington State 

o California 

o Montana (ruled “not illegal”)

o Colorado 

o New Mexico

o Maine

o Vermont

o New Jersey

o Washington, DC

o Hawaii

 These states have statutes that generally exempt physicians from civil or criminal liability when
“in compliance with specific safeguards, they dispense or prescribe a lethal dose of drugs
requested by a state resident with a terminal illness that, within reasonable medical judgement,
will cause death within six months.”

 States with explicitly illegal PAD:

o Alabama

o Arkansas

o Georgia

o Idaho

o Ohio

o Rhode Island
 Characteristics of the ideal patient in which PAD could be considered (would sustain the
argument of death as rationally good):

o Terminally ill patient without a hope of cure

o Situation of intolerable suffering

o No further ways to alleviate symptoms or enhance QOL 

o Their desire for death is not attributable to untreated pain or depression.