Some have taken a position against PRPA after hearing from constituents and medical professionals in their state. The Oregon Health Division's 2nd year report on the Oregon Death With Dignity Act shows the law working as intended rarely used and without complications. These statistics are little changed from last year, in which 16 people died under the Act. Cancer was the dominant disease, and loss of autonomy and the inability to participate in activities that make life enjoyable were the most frequent reasons cited for using the Act. Oregon is one of the nation's leaders in morphine use for pain management and it has twice the national average of patients in hospice.
More people die at home in Oregon than anywhere in the nation.
Oregon is the only state in modern history to discipline a doctor for underprescribing pain medication. Back To Top Alaska Constitutional Challenge Moves to Supreme Court Compassion in Dying Federation continues to press a claim under the Alaska State constitution on behalf of a class of terminally ill individuals, represented by two named plaintiffs, Kevin Sampson and Jane Doe. The lawsuit challenges the Alaska State law that prohibits a mentally competent, terminally ill adult from requesting medication to hasten death in a humane and peaceful manner. A lower court's ruling favoring the state is under appeal before the Alaska Supreme Court. On April 13, the Court received briefs filed by those opposing our claim.