New Mexico Elizabeth Whitefield End-of-Life Options Act
Medical aid in dying is the practice in which a terminally ill, mentally competent adult patient voluntarily requests and receives a prescription medication from a physician that they can self-administer to die peacefully. This allows patients to end their lives on their own terms. Medical aid in dying is authorized in 11 jurisdictions with regulations varying by jurisdiction to ensure that the process is carried out ethically and safely.
The Elizabeth Whitefield End-of-Life Options Act was signed into law in 2021.
Eligibility
To be eligible to use the law, the individual must:
- Be 18 years or older
- Have been diagnosed with a terminal illness
- Have a prognosis of six months or less to live
- Be mentally capable of making their own healthcare decisions
The patient must also be:
- A resident of New Mexico
- Acting voluntarily and making an informed decision
- Capable of self-administering the medical aid-in-dying medication
A qualified clinician is defined as:
- A physician licensed pursuant to the NM Medical Practice Act;
- An osteopathic physician licensed pursuant to the NM Osteopathic Medicine Act;
- A nurse licensed in advanced practice pursuant to the NM Nursing Practice Act; or
- A physician assistant licensed pursuant to the NM Physician Assistant Act or the NM Osteopathic Medicine Act.
