Kevin Díaz, JD, interim President and CEO for Compassion & Choices, delivered a powerful message on autonomy and compassion during a panel at the Deathcare Super Conference in Seattle, Washington. Díaz spoke on the state of the law as it relates to people who presently do not live in a jurisdiction that has authorized medical aid in dying and what they can do to access it.
He spoke about how Oregon and Vermont have removed their residency requirements allowing those from outside the state to utilize medical aid-in-dying laws, emphasizing that “to receive the full protections you really must have all of the aspects of medical aid and dying take place in the state in which you qualified. That is the safest thing for the patient, it’s the safest thing for the clinician and it’s the safest thing for the loved ones or family members that might be with somebody when they decide to self-ingest the medication.”
He added that when considering traveling to Vermont or Oregon it was important for “people to understand that you’re just not going to the state to obtain medical aid in dying you’re going there to have that option available but it’s still critically important that you have your care team all set up and that you’re enrolled in hospice care.” He highlighted the high number of people who obtain the medication and choose not to take it.
Díaz emphasized that medical aid in dying is about giving terminally ill individuals the ability to make deeply personal decisions. “Medical aid in dying firmly puts patients in charge of their end-of-life care. They are the deciders,” he said, underscoring how medical aid in dying empowers patients to choose the death that is right for them, whether or not they ultimately request or self-ingest the medication.
Díaz’s remarks were part of the wider 2024 Deathcare Super Conference, which gathered advocates, legal experts, and healthcare professionals to reshape the narrative around end-of-life care and options. As states continue to debate medical aid-in-dying laws this legislative session, Compassion & Choices remains dedicated to honoring the freedom of choice at the end of life. To get involved, visit CompassionAndChoices.org/volunteer.
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