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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 18, 2008

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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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For more than 14 years, the Death with Dignity National Center (DDNC), a 501(c)(3), non-partisan, non-profit organization, has been the leading advocate in the death with dignity movement. Leaders in our organization originally wrote and have continued advocating for the Oregon Death with Dignity Law. DDNC has met these challenges through extensive legal defense of the Oregon law, education and outreach programs, and by developing and nurturing diverse financial resources with one goal in mind: to ensure DDNC's financial vitality and its position as a leader in the death with dignity movement.

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Political Action Fund

The Death with Dignity National Center partners with the Oregon Death with Dignity Political Action Fund (the Fund) to conduct lobbying and political activities in order to achieve the enactment of Death with Dignity laws in other states. The partnership resulted in tremendous success with the resounding win in the 2008 Washington Death with Dignity campaign.

Learn more about the Fund's efforts to bring dignity to people around the nation.

About Death with Dignity

The greatest human freedom is to live, and die, according to one's own desires and beliefs. The most common desire among those with a terminal illness is to die with some measure of dignity. 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 (DDNC) is the leader in this movement, successfully establishing, advancing and defending the landmark Oregon Death with Dignity Act -- a national catalyst for openly discussing and actively reforming end-of-life care for those who are terminally ill.

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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. Based on this commitment, we are pleased to provide you with support and information as you face the difficult challenges ahead.

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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.

In our Research Center you will find frequently asked questions, the history of the death with dignity movement, state monitoring statistics, and a copy of this groundbreaking statute.

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