Search Results for vermont

By Chris Haring Lynda Bluestein, who fought to expand access to medical aid in dying in VT to out-of-state residents, traveled to use physician-assisted death in January. Lynda Bluestein, a passionate advocate for medical aid in dying from nearby Bridgeport, Connecticut, chose to die utilizing Death with Dignity the morning of January 4, surrounded by … Continued

By Chris Haring A recent VT Department of Health report provided details on the decade since Act 39 – the Patient Choice and Control at End of Life Act – was passed. In the decade since Vermont’s 2013 enactment of assisted dying, terminally ill Vermonters have increasingly sought solace and control over their end-of-life options … Continued

By Chris Haring A Vermont playwright explores the process of choosing medical aid in dying through the lens of a close friend diagnosed with terminal cancer In a recent conversation with Mikaela Lefrak on Vermont Public’s Vermont Edition radio program, playwright Rob Mermin discussed his new production, Act 39 (currently showing at the Haybarn Theatre … Continued

By Chris Haring New Hampshirites hoping to use Vermont’s new law permitting out-of-state residents access to medical aid in dying still face barriers and legal threats When on May 2, 2023, Vermont became the first jurisdiction to permit out-of-state residents access to medical aid-in-dying services, it could have been expected that prospective patients and advocates … Continued

By Chris Haring Right-to-die activists scored a win when Vermont became the first state to scrap the residency requirement from its medical aid-in-dying law. Right-to-die activists secured a significant win when Vermont became the first state to remove the residency requirement from its medical aid-in-dying law. As Livia Albeck-Ripka wrote for the New York Times, … Continued

By Chris Haring As Vermont’s only medical aid-in-dying pharmacist, Steve Hochberg hand-delivers nearly every end-of-life prescription to patients across the state. In Vermont, there is only one facility licensed to dispense the prescription medications used for medical aid in dying: Rutland’s Smilin’ Steve Pharmacy, operated by Steve Hochberg, along with his sons and other family … Continued

By Chris Haring Vermont, where Death with Dignity has been legal for a decade, recently ruled that a Connecticut resident with terminal illness can proceed with physician-assisted dying Lynda Bluestein – a resident of Connecticut with terminal cancer – says she doesn’t want to die as her mother did: in a hospital bed. Since Death … Continued

By Chris Haring Anita Hannig, a cultural anthropologist and author of The Day I Die: The Untold Story of Assisted Dying in America, explains why MAID should be permitted. When, in 1994, Oregonians voted to approve the first-ever Death with Dignity Act in the nation, right-to-die advocates hoped it was just the start of allowing … Continued

By Chris Haring A medical professional explains why we should be careful not to conflate physician-assisted death and suicide – and who gets harmed when it happens. What’s in a name? In the ongoing debate regarding end-of-life options, quite a bit, as the distinction between two fundamentally different decisions – medical aid in dying and … Continued

By Chris Haring Following an emotional January public hearing, advocates are hoping that this session’s aid-in-dying bill clears its next legislative hurdle in February. Medical aid in dying is now closer than ever to being legally available for Minnesotans diagnosed with terminal illnesses who wish to assert autonomy during their final chapter and avoid needless … Continued

By Chris Haring New York state legislators Amy Paulin and Brad Hoylman-Sigal explain why their colleagues should urgently pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act this year. By 2016, when the debate around medical aid in dying gained significant traction in New York, five other jurisdictions across the United States had passed an assisted death … Continued

By Chris Haring In a piece for WAMU/NPR’s 1A series, an assisted-death expert, a bioethicist, and a potential patient describe their outspoken support for the right to die. As 2024 quickly approaches, promising perhaps the most active year of assisted-dying legislation in states from coast to coast, the aid-in-dying movement in the United States continues … Continued

By Chris Haring Al Taylor, a church leader representing Upper Manhattan in the New York State Assembly, described how a personal experience altered his view on assisted death. When New York Assemblymember Al Taylor (D – 71st District) began his first term six years ago, he says he “was adamantly – to [his] core – … Continued

By Chris Haring Despite residual barriers in the wake of a recent expansion of Oregon’s Death with Dignity law, doctors are innovating ways to help affected patients. In July 2023, Oregon was one of two states, along with Vermont, to amend the residency requirement to its Death with Dignity Act, expanding aid in dying to … Continued

By Chris Haring Two Lower Hudson Valley volunteers share personal anecdotes as a part of their ongoing attempts to bring a Death with Dignity law to their home state. Should a residential address or zip code determine whether or not a person has the autonomy to decide when and how they die?  Unlike neighboring aid-in-dying … Continued

By Chris Haring Wisconsin lawmakers say they are introducing another medical aid in dying bill after a 2022 version failed to advance through the committee stage. For the second time in as many years, lawmakers in Wisconsin have proposed a bill that could grant residents facing terminal illnesses the option to request medication to end … Continued

By Chris Haring Right-to-die advocates and coalition partners shared their support for the End of Life Options Act, an assisted-dying bill proposed in 2022. With increasing momentum on our side, the aid-in-dying movement in Massachusetts hopes that a 2024 edition of a medical aid-in-dying bill first introduced into the state legislature approximately a decade and … Continued

By Chris Haring Despite some recent setbacks, right-to-die advocates remain committed to expanding end-of-life options for Connecticut residents through legislation. It’s a familiar inspirational phrase: “If at first you don’t succeed…” Right-to-die advocates in Connecticut have taken this popular perseverance proverb to heart, exemplifying the values of persistence and dedication. Thanks to their efforts, the … Continued

By Chris Haring As Lynda Bluestein, a CT right-to-die advocate, approaches her final months, she has found a unique way to help others grieving the deaths of loved ones. In a world often silent about the realities of death and grief, Lynda Bluestein, a 76-year-old Bridgeport, CT resident diagnosed with terminal cancer, stands as a … Continued

By Chris Haring In a new book, Marie Bianco explores the link between intersectional feminism and aid in dying through care, accountability, and self-determination. Among the broad scope of intersectional feminism, where personal autonomy and choice are paramount, Death with Dignity can be an overlooked but natural companion. In an excerpt from her thought-provoking exploration, … Continued

By Chris Haring Hospice nurse Julie McFadden describes medical aid in dying as a component of hospice care and clears up misconceptions about Death with Dignity. In a world where conversations about death often remain taboo, Julie McFadden is on a mission to change perceptions and educate the public about end-of-life options.  The California nurse, … Continued

By Chris Haring A lawsuit from right-to-die advocates challenges residency requirements in the NJ Death with Dignity law, aiming to remove barriers for out-of-state patients. In a significant development for the aid-in-dying movement, a recent lawsuit challenges New Jersey’s residency requirement within its Death with Dignity law. Assisted dying in New Jersey has been restricted … Continued

By Chris Haring Two Nevada moms with terminal diagnoses are supporting the End of Life Options Act, where legislators have long proposed medical aid-in-dying bills. Despite Nevada legislators’ annual attempts to pass a medical aid-in-dying bill for several consecutive years, two Las Vegas mothers diagnosed with terminal illnesses spoke in support of this year’s bill, … Continued

By Chris Haring Physician-assisted medical aid in dying offers a legal end-of-life option to patients with terminal illness who want the ability to choose Death with Dignity Currently, physician-assisted death is legal in 10 U.S. states (Maine, New Jersey, Vermont, New Mexico, Montana, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, California, and Hawai’i) and Washington, D.C. However, the need … Continued