RSSResources
For Physicians
State Web Site on Physician-Assisted Suicide
State Compliance and Surveillance Forms
A Guidebook for Health Care Professionals
Physicians' Frequently Asked Questions
State of Oregon Annual Reports: The Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) monitors and enforces compliance with the Oregon Death with Dignity Law and produces an annual report each spring.
According to the DHS, 38 terminally-ill patients used the Oregon law to hasten their own deaths in 2005 (a total of 246 between 1998 and the end of 2005).
- Table 1 (pdf): Demographic characteristics of 246 DWDA patients who died after ingesting a lethal dose of medication, by year, Oregon, 1998-2005.
- Table 2 (pdf): Demographic characteristics of 246 patients who died during 1998-2005 after ingesting a lethal dose of medication, compared with 74,967 Oregonians dying from the same underlying diseases.
- Table 3 (pdf): Underlying illnesses of 246 patients who died during 1998-2005 after ingesting a lethal dose of medication compared with 74,967 Oregonians dying from the same underlying diseases.
- Table 4 (pdf): Death with Dignity end of life care for 246 Oregonians who died after ingesting a lethal dose of medication, by year, 1998-2005.
2004 Report
2003 Report
2002 Report
2001 Report
2000 Report
1999 Report
1998 Report
American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
Association for Death Education and Counseling
Duke University Institute on Care at the End of Life
Medical College of Wisconsin Center for the Study of Bioethics
Oregon Health & Science University Center for Ethics in Health Care
For Legal Professionals and Lawmakers
American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics
Initiative and Referendum Institute
Legal and Political Timeline of the Oregon Law
Oregon Ballot Measures 16 and 51
The United States Courts System
Willamette University College of Law (Professor V.J. Vollmar)
For Students
We welcome and encourage students to use our website and will gladly provide as much additional help as possible. Through the years, DDNC has become a valuable resource for thousands of student researchers.
If you are working on a project related to the death with dignity movement or physician-assisted dying, here are some tips for getting the most from the DDNC resources:
- Be sure to surf the Web site's main sections and all subsections. The History and Facts section provides the information, background and answers to frequently-asked questions most students need.
- When contacting us with a question or an interview request, please make your request as clear and specific as possible. We will gladly respond to all serious and specific e-mail questions quickly and informatively.
- If you have numerous questions or have broad questions that are more subjective or open ended, you should request a telephone or personal interview.
American Medical Student Association
Initiative and Referendum Institute
Next Generation Medical Student Education Program
For Everyone
Advance Directive Forms
Provided through the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.
Caring Connections
A program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) that provides free resources, information and motivation for actively learning about end-of-life care and options.
Compassion & Choices
A not-for-profit organization providing information and support to patients, family, caregivers, and health care professionals on end-of-life choices and legal and legislative advocacy for expanded choice and improved care at the end of life.
Dying with Dignity Canada
A "pioneering Canadian organization, that is showing courage and compassion in an area of deep concern to us all – the making of wise and deliberate choices at the end of life."
Death with Dignity Hawai'i
A coalition of Hawai'i state and local organizations advocating for patients' ability to control their own end-of-life care.
Death with Dignity Vermont
A non-profit, independent political action organization based in Vermont working to effect legislation in similar to the Oregon Death with Dignity Act.
Growth House, Inc.: An online guide to death and dying issues.
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
The largest nonprofit membership organization representing hospice and palliative care programs and professionals in the United States.
NPR's 'Justice Talking (9/28/2005): Program on physician-assisted suicide. Guests: Art Caplan is the Emmanuel and Robert Hart Professor of Bioethics, Chair of the Department of Medical Ethics and the Director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania; Kathryn Tucker is Director of Legal Affairs for Compassion and Choices, an organization dedicated to improving end of life care and protecting the rights of the terminally ill; Wesley Smith is an attorney for the International Task Force on Euthanasia and is the author of "Culture of Death: The Assault on Medical Ethics in America."
On Our Own Terms: Bill Moyers On Dying: A PBS series on end-of-life choices and care.
Oregon's Assisted Suicide Case (10/5/2005): Lee Hochberg and Margaret Warner reporting, Public Broadcasting Service, The News Hour with Jim Lehrer.
Public Agenda Online: "For over a quarter of a century, Public Agenda has been providing unbiased and unparalleled research that bridges the gap between American leaders and what the public really thinks about issues ranging from education to foreign policy to immigration to religion and civility in American life."
"Robert's Story: Dying With Dignity": This is the first and only documentary that follows a patient, Robert Schwartz, from the time he was dispensed life-ending medication under Oregon's Death With Dignity Law, to his death. The documentary was co-directed by Tom D'Antoni and Greg Bond.
The Final Months of Life: A Guide to Oregon Resources, developed by The Task Force to Improve the Care of Terminally Ill Oregonians.
Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: International Experiences. This detailed compilation of euthanasia and assisted suicide laws worldwide has recently been compiled by the Canadian Library of Parliament, dated July 17, 2008. It lists the laws for countries which permit assisted suicide or euthanasia and gives a precise review of how, where, and when each law came into effect. This fine piece of documentary research should prove invaluable to any researcher or person seeking unbiased factual information on the laws.
Other useful links:
Related Books
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Defend dignity. Take action.
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.
Your donation today will enable us to continue to advocate for the right of the terminally ill to die with dignity. Please click here to give a secure, online donation. Thank you.
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Washington: Yes on 1000
For two years, our highest organizational priority has been securing passage of the Washington Death with Dignity Act through the voter initiative process.
Our generous donors have helped us provide the campaign with over $300,000 in seed money and we have pledged to raise an additional $650,000 for the campaign. We were an instrumental part of the team that devised the campaign structure, and we will continue to provide political strategy and legal expertise throughout the campaign.
Read on for an insider's analysis of the Washington campaign.
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.
Learn more about the National Center and our family of organizations.
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.
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.
