As of January 1st, 2026, medical aid in dying is an authorized end-of-life care option for qualifying patients in Delaware.
Delaware’s Department of Health and Social Services Division of Public Health has developed a set of draft regulations, including a sample written request form, which members of the public may provide comments on until February 2nd, 2026. Following this comment period, it is anticipated the final regulations for the law will be published.
Victory in Delaware! Delaware is now the 12th jurisdiction to authorize medical aid in dying.
An excerpt from the Delaware Online/The News Journal op-ed, “Passing end of life legislation in 2022 would honor deceased advocates,” by Mark Hayden—whose husband was Compassion & Choices Volunteer Storyteller Tom La Follette—published July 8, 2021: “Despite suffering from painful lesions throughout his body caused by a terminal cancer called Kaposi’s sarcoma, my late husband,…
The Ron Silverio/Heather Block Delaware End of Life Options Act (HB 140), which would allow medical aid in dying in Delaware, was reintroduced in the General Assembly earlier today by Rep. Paul Baumbach (D-District 23). The bill has the most cosponsors, nine, since its first introduction in 2017. They include: Senate Majority Leader Bryan Townsend…
An excerpt from the Delaware Business Times, “Viewpoint: COVID-19 crisis demonstrates urgent need for end-of-life planning,” by Compassion & Choices President and CEO Kim Callinan, published April 15, 2020: Thousands of Americans have died from coronavirus, with countless heartbreaking stories. Many families have been separated from a loved one who dies alone in a…
An excerpt from the Delaware State News commentary, “End-of-life planning moves to the forefront,” by Compassion & Choices President and CEO Kim Callinan, published April 15, 2020: Thousands of Americans have died from coronavirus, with countless heartbreaking stories. Many families have been separated from a loved one who dies alone in a hospital bed….
An excerpt from Delaware Public Media article, “Physican-assisted suicide bill finds support in a new poll,” published March 11, 2020: …House Bill 140 would give terminally ill adults with under six months to live and unbearable suffering the option to request prescription medication they can use to die peacefully. A survey conducted between January…
An excerpt from WHYY public radio article, “Medication assisted suicide gets broad support in Delaware poll,” published March 11, 2020: New Jersey and Maine became the eighth and ninth states to allow people with terminal illnesses to end their lives with medical help in 2019. Now, lawmakers in Delaware are hoping a new poll…
In a recent statewide survey, 72 percent of Delawareans who plan to vote in November say they support medical-aid-in-dying legislation introduced in the state legislature. The Ron Silverio/Heather Block Delaware End of Life Options Act (HB 140) would allow a terminally ill adult who has decision-making capability the right to request and self- administer medication…
An excerpt from a Delaware Online letter to the editor by Milton resident Lorraine Anderson, “Don’t be afraid of HB 140,” published Jan. 31, 2020: As a nurse, I must disagree with a letter written by Bess McAneny that said “HB 140 is dangerous…” This compassionate legislation includes safeguards designed to protect terminally ill people,…
Delaware State Representative Paul Baumbach wrote an op-ed for Delaware Online about his support for medical aid-in-dying legislation. He said, “We named our bill HB 140, to honor the memory of Delawareans Ron Silverio and Heather Block. Both recently deceased, they were passionate advocates of medical aid in dying. They died without access to this…
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