Ten Years Later: Plenty of Comfort and No Abuse for Dying Patients
Report on Oregon's Death with Dignity Act Shows Law Continues Working Flawlessly

PORTLAND, OR - The Oregon Health Divisions latest report on Oregon's Death with Dignity Act for 2007 showed the law continues to be used sparingly, with no reports of abuse as it provided comfort to dying patients. The report provides comprehensive data covering the entire 10 years the law has been in existence.

Over the past 10 years, 341 people have used the law, according to Peg Sandeen, executive director of the Death with Dignity National Center, a non-profit off-shoot of the political action committee that passed the original Act in 1994.

The report said most of the 49 people who used the law in 2007 suffered from final stages of cancer, similar to results from other years. Their average age was 65, and most (87%) were involved in hospice, meaning they were receiving excellent end-of-life care. There were no reports of abuse in the 2007 report, again mirroring findings previous years.

The success of the law rests not only in the peace of mind of those who use or contemplate the use of the law, but in other end-of-life care outcomes. Since the law went into effect, Oregon has become the national leader in hospice usage, treatment of pain at the end of life, and in palliative care.

Sandeen said implementation of the law remains exceptional because the safeguards put in place ensure that patients control the process, doctors and pharmacists have clearly defined roles and family members are involved.

"All Oregonians can be proud of the law they passed to help dying patients. What we have shown in Oregon over these past years is that the Oregon Death with Dignity Law has provided aid and comfort to dying people. More importantly, end-of-life care has dramatically improved. For patients -- even those who received the prescription, but chose not to use it -- the comfort was in knowing they had choices as they faced their final days," said Sandeen.

The Oregon law has worked so well that the people of Washington, led by former governor Booth Gardner, have launched an initiative effort to put Death with Dignity on the ballot in November, 2008.

Its important for the people of Washington to look at Oregons data. They are going to be subjected to the same scare tactics and unfounded allegations we saw here in Oregon. This time, however, they need only look to the south to see that these scare tactics proved to be unfounded and that end-of-life care in Oregon has dramatically improved since Oregons Death With Dignity law was implemented, said Sandeen.

A link to the Oregon Health Division Report can be found at www.deathwithdignity.org.

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