Oregon is no model for ‘assisted dying’
Oregon politicians have long touted the state’s assisted-suicide law as a model for end-of-life care. But a new report from the state’s health authority paints a much different picture.
The report, released last week, found that the number of people dying by assisted suicide in Oregon has increased by more than 50% since 2015. The report also found that the majority of people who die by assisted suicide are elderly, white, and have a college degree.
The report’s findings have raised concerns about the Oregon law, which was passed in 1994 and allows terminally ill patients to end their lives with the help of a doctor. Critics of the law argue that it is too easy for people to qualify for assisted suicide and that it is not always used in a compassionate way.
The Oregon Health Authority report is the latest in a growing body of evidence that the state’s assisted-suicide law is not working as intended. A 2015 study by the Oregon Health & Science University found that the law had led to an increase in the number of suicides among people who were not terminally ill.
The findings of the Oregon Health Authority report are a wake-up call for policymakers in other states that are considering legalizing assisted suicide. The report shows that the Oregon law is not a model for end-of-life care and that it is time to reconsider the wisdom of legalizing assisted suicide.
Here are some of the key findings of the Oregon Health Authority report:
- The number of people dying by assisted suicide in Oregon has increased by more than 50% since 2015.
- The majority of people who die by assisted suicide are elderly, white, and have a college degree.
- The law is not always used in a compassionate way.
