Bio-ethics presentation

1. Physician-Assisted Suicide in
Oregon: The First State
By: Priyanka Tondamantham

2. Legalization of the Death with
Dignity Act
 Voters approved PAS legalization in 1994
 A legal battle is undergone with the federal government
 October 27, 1997, the Death with Dignity Act is passed
 Legal battles continue until 2006
Voters in 1994
For Against
Voters in 1997
For Against

3. The First Year
 A study was performed during 1998
 Data was collected from terminally ill patients who requested lethal medication
 Compared to patients who died of similar illnesses without the medication and
total deaths in Oregon

4. The Data
 Data collected through Oregon Health
Division
 Very few patients actually wanted lethal
medication
 Not all of them proceeded to use them
Patients receiving lethal meds 23
Death from lethal meds 15
Death from underlying illness 6
Still alive 2

5. Findings
 .05% of deaths were PAS
 Median of 22 days between
first request for lethal
medication and death
 Median patient age: 70 y/o
 Median time of ingestion to
death: 26 minutes
 14 physicians prescribed the
meds
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
Deaths from Cancer Deaths from PAS
Deaths from PAS v Deaths from Cancer
76%
24%
0%
Deaths in Oregon
Other
Deaths from Cancer
Deaths from PAS

6. The Second Year
 A similar study was performed during 1999
 Data collected from terminally ill patients
 Compared to cancer deaths and total deaths in Oregon

7. The Data
 Data collected through Oregon Health
Division
 More people compared to the year before
requested PAS
 Once again not everyone actually used the
medication
Patients receiving lethal meds 33
Death from lethal meds 26
Death from underlying illness 5
Still alive 2

8. Findings
 .09% of deaths in Oregon were
PAS
 Median of 83 days between
first request for lethal
medication and death
 Median patient age: 71 y/o
 Median time between
ingestion and death: 30
minutes
 22 physicians prescribed the
meds
 6 also prescribed in 1998
39%
0%
61%
Deaths in Oregon
Deaths from Cancer Deaths from PAS Other

9. End of Life
Issues
Patients expressed worries about
pain level at the end of their life
Wanted autonomy and control
over their choices
Did not want to have poor quality
of life

10. Over Time
 Increase in requests for PAS
 Margin has grown between
requests and those who die
from lethal medication

11. Sources
Chin, Arthur E., et al. “Legalized Physician-Assisted Suicide in Oregon — The First Year’s
Experience.” New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 340, no. 7, Feb. 1999, pp. 577–83. Taylor
and Francis+NEJM, https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199902183400724.
Sullivan, Amy D., et al. “Legalized Physician-Assisted Suicide in Oregon — The Second
Year.” New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 342, no. 8, Feb. 2000, pp. 598–604. Taylor
and Francis+NEJM, https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM200002243420822.
Oregon - Death With Dignity. https://dev-death-with-
dignity.pantheonsite.io/states/oregon/.
“Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act, 20 Years Later | Cancer Translated.” Cancer
Translated |, 12 Apr. 2017,
https://blogs.ohsu.edu/cancertranslated/2017/04/12/oregons-death-with- dignity-
act-20-years-later/.