Oregonians are allowed to end their own lives by taking medications prescribed by their physician expressly for this purpose. Their physician must be licensed to practice medicine by the Board of Medical Examiners for the State of Oregon.

Physician and health system participation is voluntary.

• Physicians employed by Catholic hospitals or the Veterans Administration do not participate, if this a term of their employment.

The participating physician determines if the patient is:

• 18 years or older

• Current Oregon resident

  • e.g., Driver’s license; lease agreement or property ownership; voter registration; tax return

  • No minimum residency requirement

• Capable of making and communicating health care decisions

• Expected to die in 6 months or less

To obtain a prescription:

• The patient must make two oral requests, separated by at least 15 days and provide a written request to the physician, signed in the presence of two witnesses, one of whom is not related to the patient. Surrogates cannot make these requests.

• The patient’s physician and a consulting physician must determine whether the patient is capable of making and communicating healthcare decisions for him/herself

  • If either physician believes the patient is impaired by a psychiatric or psychological disorder, they must refer the patient for a psychiatric evaluation

• The patient’s physician must inform the patient of feasible alternatives to the Act (including “comfort care, hospice care, and pain control”)

• The patient’s physician must request, but cannot require, the patient to notify the next-of-kin of the request for the prescription

• The physician chooses which medication to prescribe (usually an oral barbiturate)

• Individual insurers determine whether the costs of the visit and medication are covered. Federal funding cannot be used for these services, but Oregon Medicaid funds can.

• The physician is not required to be present, but may be present when the lethal dose is taken, as long as he or she doesn’t administer it

Patients may rescind the request at any time and in any manner; the physician will offer the patient an opportunity to rescind the request at the end of the initial 15-day waiting period (i.e. following the initial request).

Oregon law specifies that “participation in the Act is not suicide,” so participation should not affect insurance benefits that pertain to suicide.

Reporting

• Physicians report the prescriptions to the Department of Human Services, Vital Records. The pharmacist must be informed of the medication’s planned use.

• The Department cross-checks death certificates with the names of the patients, but does not “record them” in any manner; physician’s code is recorded. No names of physicians or patients are shared with the public or media.

• All source documentation is destroyed about one year after the annual report is published