On January 17, 2023, bill S.1331/H.2246, which would authorize medical aid for dying in Massachusetts, was introduced by Sen. Jo Comerford, Rep. Jim O’Day, and Rep. Ted Philips and was assigned to the Joint Committee on Public Health. February 7, 2024, the End of Life Options Act was moved favorably out of the Joint Committee on Public Health as a Senate bill, carrying the House bill. On April 25, 2024, the bill moved favorably out of the Joint Committee on Healthcare Financing to the Senate Ways and Means Committee, where it is now awaiting action.
The Massachusetts End of Life Options Act would authorize medical aid in dying in Massachusetts, bringing the full range of end-of-life care options to terminally ill Massachusetts residents. Email your lawmakers today and urge them to cosponsor the bill.
An excerpt from The Daily Hampshire Gazette guest column, “Elders support death with dignity,” published May 29, 2020: “We know full well that our lawmakers need to do all they can to ease the medical and economic pain of the COVID-19 crisis for our citizens. But we believe they could also provide relief from suffering…
An excerpt from The Daily Hampshire Gazette editorial, “Time to act on ‘death with dignity’ bill,” published May 28, 2020: “For some, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought end-of-life issues into renewed focus, as more than 6,500 lives have been lost statewide to the virus. As we’ve editorialized on these pages several times over the years,…
An excerpt from The Berkshire Eagle editorial, “Our Opinion: Time has come for End of Life Options Act,” published May 21, 2020: “…with COVID-19, which has claimed more than 6,000 lives around the state, prompting a renewed focus on end-of-life issues, we believe that this will be the time the legislation [End of Life Options…
An excerpt from the Daily Hampshire Gazette letter to the editor, “All humans deserve ‘death with dignity’,” by Florence resident Elizabeth Bristow, published May 3, 2020: Death is on our minds these days. Typically it’s a subject we don’t want to talk about, but now more than ever we need to face it directly…
An excerpt from the Telegram & Gazette letter to the editor, “Doctor supports medical aid in dying,” by Gardner resident John Harrington, MD, published April 20, 2020: As a long-time hospice physician in the Gardner area, I respectfully disagree with Dr. Mark Rollo’s letter in the Telegram & Gazette of April 2. Unlike him,…
An excerpt from the Taunton Gazette letter to the editor, “Letter: A good time to take action on end-of-life options,” by Eric J. Ruby, M.D., F.A.A.P., published March 30, 2020: Is it the right time to talk about dying wishes during the coronavirus epidemic? Shouldn’t we focus on the quality of life we have…
An excerpt from The Berkshire Eagle column, “Give your support to death with dignity law,” by Deborah Golden Alecson, published March 10, 2020: It is crunch time to let our state representatives know that we want to have a dignified death when we are suffering from a terminal illness. This is possible with medical-aid-in-dying….
An excerpt from Sentinel & Enterprise letter to the editor by Massachusetts State Representative Stephan Hay (3rd Worcester), “State Rep. Hay urges Legislature to adopt ‘End of Life Options’ bill,” published March 5, 2020: …My understanding is that despite the best efforts of hospice and palliative care, as many as 25% of Americans die…
An excerpt from The Berkshire Eagle letter to the editor by great Barrington resident Linda Baxter, “State must pass Death With Dignity Law,” published March 5, 2020: I’m writing to urge support for the passage of the bill called The End of Life Options Act currently under consideration in our state Legislature. It does…
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