This is a description of what is happening. You can read it, or not. That's up to you.
A right-to-die bill is introduced in the Florida Legislature, arousing extensive debate, but ultimately is unsuccessful.
Hospice, Inc. is founded in the United States.
The Hemlock Society, an end-of-life care organization for those suffering from incurable illnesses, forms. It later evolves into End-of-Life Choices, which in 2005 merges with Compassion in Dying to form Compassion & Choices, the largest organization in the United States advocating for people’s rights and care at the end of life.
The Unitarian Universalist Association adopts a resolution affirming the right to self-determination in dying. It urges congregations to inform and petition legislators to protect the right to die with dignity, under strict legal safeguards
The U.S. Supreme Court rules in Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health, affirming the right of Americans to refuse unwanted medical treatment and their right to appoint a healthcare proxy to speak for them when they cannot.
Compassion in Dying (CID) is founded by 12 former Hemlock members after the 1991 Washington State aid-in-dying initiative failed. Seeing the urgent need for information and support that many people with AIDS and other terminal illnesses lacked, they establish CID as a 501(c)(3) organization to provide end-of-life guidance and support. CID also begins developing the medical model that becomes medical aid in dying, shaping the framework used today.
Compassion in Dying develops and files two federal lawsuits: Washington v. Glucksberg and Vacco v. Quill, asserting that a mentally capable, terminally ill patient has a right protected by the constitutional guarantees of liberty, privacy, and equal protection to choose aid in dying. The Federal District Court for the Western District of Washington rules that this right exists. The state of Washington appeals the decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Oregon voters approve the Oregon Death With Dignity Act, a ballot initiative that permits terminally ill patients, under specified standards, to obtain a physician’s prescription to shorten the dying process in a humane and dignified manner. The measure passes with 51 percent of the vote.
The Project on Death in America and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Last Acts Campaign invest heavily to address advanced illness and pain, shaping early palliative care through provider-focused research, clinical training, and public education. Due to ideological differences, these coalitions exclude Compassion in Dying from participation. Operating on a parallel track, CID strengthens its role as the consumer voice in end-of-life care by advancing mandatory continuing medical education in pain care, pressing state medical boards to treat undertreated pain as deficient practice, and establishing accountability through landmark cases such as Bergman. This period cements CID’s identity as a national leader in patient-directed care.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (in Glucksberg v. Washington) and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals (in Vacco v. Quill) both decided that the U.S. Constitution protects the choice of a capable, terminally ill patient to choose aid in dying. The states of New York and Washington appeal the decisions in the U.S. Supreme Court.
The National Right-to-Life Committee challenges Oregon’s Death With Dignity Act, stalling implementation until the challenge is dismissed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Oregon Legislature places a measure on the ballot to rescind the law, but it is defeated by 60 percent of voters. Later that year, Compassion in Dying client, “Helen” becomes the first person to use the law to die peacefully.
In Glucksberg v. Washington and Vacco v. Quill, the U.S. Supreme Court declines to find federal constitutional protection for medical aid in dying and refers the issue to the states. However, the Court recognizes a federal constitutional right for dying patients to receive as much pain medication as necessary to obtain relief, even if this advances time of death.
In February, Compassion in Dying launches a nationwide initiative urging state medical boards to discipline physicians for undertreating pain, especially for terminally ill patients. This work leads to major legislative wins, including California’s AB 487 (1999), which requires all physicians to complete mandatory continuing medical education in pain management and the care of terminally ill and dying patients. CID helps advance a similar mandate in New York, further establishing pain management as a core standard of competent medical practice.
Compassion in Dying begins educating the public about Voluntary Stopping Eating and Drinking (VSED) as an end-of-life option and integrates guidance on VSED into its End-of-Life Consultation (EOLC) program.
Compassion & Choices represents the Bergman family of California in bringing the nation’s first case to claim that failure to treat pain adequately constitutes elder abuse, winning a $1.5 million verdict for patient’s pain and suffering. The case establishes that failure to treat pain adequately can expose healthcare providers to significant financial liability.
Attorney General John Ashcroft issued a directive in 2001 to prevent the Oregon Death With Dignity Act from being implemented. The state of Oregon sued to stop the directive, joined by a group of terminally ill Oregonians and represented by Compassion & Choices. Federal District Court Judge Robert E. Jones in Oregon v. Ashcroft rules against the Ashcroft directive rebuking the federal government for its attempt to “stifle an ongoing, earnest and profound debate in the various states” concerning aid in dying.
Barbara Coombs Lee, president of Compassion in Dying Federation (and later the first CEO of Compassion & Choices) publishes Compassion in Dying: Stories of Dignity and Choice.
Beginning in 2003 and continuing through 2013, Compassion in Dying/Compassion & Choices works with MergerWatch to challenge Catholic hospital mergers that threatened patient access to end-of-life options. As Catholic healthcare systems expanded and imposed strict prohibitions on intentional death C&C worked to block restrictive consolidations, defend community hospitals, and uphold patient-directed care.
The State of Oregon asks the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Oregon v. Ashcroft to affirm the lower court’s decision, which it does, leaving the Oregon Death With Dignity Act intact.
The Hemlock Society, after rebranding as End-of-Life Choices in 2003, merges with the Compassion in Dying Federation to form Compassion & Choices. The merger combines grassroots advocacy for medical aid in dying, pain management and other end of life care and options with direct client support and end-of-life planning, uniting two major forces in the movement to expand and protect end-of-life options in the United States.
Medical associations begin to adopt policies supporting aid in dying, including The American Women’s Medical Association, the American Public Health Association, and The American Medical Student Association.
In October, two terminally ill Montana residents (Robert Baxter and Steven Stoel), four Montana doctors, and Compassion & Choices file a complaint asking the district court to state that medical aid in dying was permitted by statute or, in the alternative, to rule that prosecuting a physician for providing a prescription for medical aid in dying to a consenting patient was unconstitutional.
In September, Compassion & Choices releases its first national dementia provision that can be attached to any state’s advance directive for documenting care preferences in the event of cognitive decline.
New York passes the Palliative Care Information Act (PCIA) in August. The law, drafted by Compassion & Choices and modeled after a similar measure it passed in California, requires healthcare workers to provide information and counseling on end-of-life options.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issues its first official statement condemning medical aid in dying. Compassion & Choices responds by holding a press conference on the same day, in the same building, refuting the USCCB’s false claims throughout national media.
Award-winning documentary about Oregon’s Death With Dignity Act, How to Die in Oregon is released, featuring Compassion & Choices volunteers and clients.
Launch of the “Peace at Life’s End – Anywhere” national campaign to ensure that residents of assisted living facilities and nursing homes can access Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking (VSED) as a lawful end-of-life option. The campaign includes a national education initiative for facility associations, administrators, and staff on how to support residents who choose VSED. As part of this work, Compassion & Choices develops the first Rider to Residential Agreements for assisted living facilities to guarantee residents can pursue their end-of-life choices without risking eviction. This marks the first coordinated national effort to protect VSED access for people living in residential care settings.
Compassion & Choices becomes a member of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the nation’s premier coalition promoting and protecting civil and human rights in the United States.
Compassion & Choices produces the first national conference for end-of-life care and options bringing together over 500 supporters, volunteers, advocates, legislators, community leaders and services providers to advance services and strategies to help people get the care they want.
On May 20, Vermont becomes the fourth state to authorize aid in dying and the first in the nation to do so through the legislature with passage of the Vermont Patient Choice and Control at the End of Life Act.
Compassion & Choices launches the Campaign to End Unwanted Medical Treatment, uniting more than 20 national organizations to reform end-of-life care and advance fully informed, patient-directed decision-making.
Mail contributions directly to:
Compassion & Choices Gift Processing Center
PO Box 485
Etna, NH 03750
Compassion & Choices is a 501 C3 organization. Federal tax number: 84-1328829
