History
Advocacy for physician assistance in dying when faced with a terminal illness has a long history, and recently we've seen some great strides forward:
- Oregon: Oregon voters passed their law in 1994, and after a series of challenges went into effect in 1997. Legal challenges continued even after Oregon's law went into effect culminating in the 2006 US Supreme Court decision in 2006's Gonzales vs. Oregon.
- Washington: In 2008, Washington voters passed their Death with Dignity Act, and the law took effect in 2009.
- Montana: In December 2009, Montana's Supreme Court ruled nothing in the state law prohibited a physician from honoring a terminally ill, mentally competent patient's request by prescribing medication to hasten the patient's death. In 2011, three bills were introduced to the Montana legislature regarding Death with Dignity. One, modeled on the Oregon and Washington laws would have codified the Supreme Court ruling and outlined the circumstances when the physician could prescribe the medication. The other two were aimed at overturning the court's ruling. All three bills failed to pass. While a standard of care for physician assisted death still needs to be developed, the Senate committee listened to the will of the people and honored individuals' decisions regarding how to live the rest of his or her life when faced with a terminal illness.
Defend dignity. Take action.
You are the key to ensuring well-crafted Death with Dignity laws for all Americans. With your financial and volunteer help, the Death with Dignity National Center, a 501(c)(3), non-partisan, non-profit organization, has been the leading advocate in the death with dignity movement. Member contributions helped us pass a new Death with Dignity law in Washington, defend the Oregon law, and provide education and outreach programs for the vitality of the death with dignity movement.
Make a Donation
Your donation helps us continue to advocate for the right of the terminally ill to die with dignity.
Stay Connected
Sign up for the latest news and information about Death with Dignity.
Additional ways to stay in touch: |  |  |  |
About Death with Dignity
The greatest human freedom is to live, and die, according to one's own desires and beliefs. From advance directives to physician-assisted dying, death with dignity is a movement to provide options for the dying to control their own end-of-life care.
Death with Dignity National Center is the leader in this movement, successfully establishing, advancing and defending the landmark Oregon and Washington Death with Dignity Acts.
Political Action Fund
The Death with Dignity National Center partners with the Oregon Death with Dignity Political Action Fund to conduct lobbying and political activities in order to achieve the enactment of Death with Dignity laws in other states.
Learn more about the Oregon Death with Dignity Political Action Fund.
Patients & Families
The Death with Dignity National Center was formed out of a profound commitment to the idea that personal end-of-life decisions should be made solely between a patient and a physician. We are pleased to provide you with support and information as you face the difficult challenges ahead.
Research Center
We have compiled a comprehensive collection of legal briefs, journal articles, and newspaper clippings. We invite you to explore the wide array of information we have collected throughout our history.
© 2012 Death with Dignity National Center. Powered by Mandate Media.
We respect your privacy. Please see our Privacy Policy and Statement of Ethics for more information.
