Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
Ten states and the District of Columbia have what is called Medical Aid in Dying laws that permit people who want to end their lives because of unrelieved pain or suffering to get the help they need to die a comfortable, dignified death. New York State does not have such a law, despite a bill for Medical Aid in Dying being on the legislature’s docket for the past 10 years. On April 17, 2024, Diana Mason, PhD, RN, discussed the issue with two longtime advocates: David Leven, JD, Executive Director Emeritus and Senior Consultant for End of Life Choices New York, and Barbara Backer, RN, DSW, a retired nurse living in Rochester, NY. They talk about other states’ experiences with Medical Aid in Dying laws, the NY bill, the opposing arguments, and the political context of the bill. This interview first aired on HealthCetera in the Catskills on WIOX Radio.
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