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70 patients died under Washington state’s assisted-suicide law in 2011
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted May 14, 2012
The number of Washington state residents who died of physician-assisted suicide rose to 70 in 2011, up from 51 in 2010 and 36 in 2009, when the state’s Death With Dignity Act took effect. The Washington State Dept. of Health reported in May that 103 patients requested and received lethal doses of medications from 80 different physicians in 2011.
In addition to the 70 who died after ingesting medication, 19 died of natural causes. An additional five died, but it is unclear whether they took the medications. No reports were received for the remaining nine patients, indicating that they were still alive at year’s end.
The vast majority of the terminally ill patients who received life-ending medications feared loss of autonomy, dignity and ability to participate in activities that make life enjoyable. More than 90% were white, and 75% had at least some college education. Nearly 80% of the patients had cancer, said the report (link).
Seventy-one patients in Oregon died of physician-assisted suicide in 2011. Since 1998, when Oregon’s first-of-its-kind law took effect, 753 patients in Oregon and Washington have died with physicians’ aid.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/05/14/prbf0514.htm.
