Oregon: could assisted suicide replace chemotherapies that cost too much?

A study published by JAMA oncology at the beginning of the month has assessed the past 20 years since the introduction of the Death With Dignity Act – the first US law allowing assisted suicide in the State of Oregon. The study revealed that “3% of the assisted suicides registered by the Health Authorities are justified by the inability to finance chemotherapy”, and that 25.2% of assisted suicide requests result from inappropriate pain management. Furthermore, since 1998, “the number of assisted suicide requests has constantly risen”, especially since 2013.

Institut Européen de Bioethique (21/04/2017)