Oregon Legislature Eliminates PAS Waiting Periods

Senate Bill 579 eliminates physician-assisted suicide waiting periods for those diagnosed as near death. The Oregon House passed the bill 35-22 yesterday. It will now become law unless the governor vetoes it. “The Legislature heard from highly qualified and experienced medical professionals who testified that this bill is not only unnecessary but dangerous,” says Lois Anderson, ORTL executive director. […]

Despite Bipartisan Opposition, SB 579 Passes Senate

Senate Bill 579 would eliminate physician-assisted suicide waiting periods for those near death. The Oregon Senate passed the bill 16-11. “Every person has a right to be valued and treated ethically, especially during their last days of life,” says Lois Anderson, ORTL executive director. “Persons near death deserve the same protections under the law. Even more, […]

Two Physician-Assisted Suicide Expansion Bills Voted to Chamber Floors

Salem, OR–Two bills expanding physician-assisted suicide in Oregon have been sent to the full House and Senate. Senate Bill 579 was voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee by a vote of 4-3 on April 8. House Bill 2217 was voted out of the House Health Care Committee by a vote of 7-4 on April […]

SB 579 Creates Same-day Suicide Request Scheme

Senate Bill 579 is the second physician-assisted suicide expansion bill to have a hearing in the Oregon Legislature. It has been scheduled for a public hearing in Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday, April 5 at 9:30 a.m. in Hearing Room C. Oregon Right to life opposes this bill. SB 579 creates a dangerous loophole in […]

21 years of doctors ending lives

The Oregon Health Authority recently released the latest statistics on physician-assisted suicide in the state. In 2018, 249 people received lethal prescriptions. Of that group, 168 people died from ingesting the lethal medication (up from 158 in 2017). Since the law was passed in 1997, doctors have written 2,217 lethal prescriptions; 1,459 people have died […]