Gov. Hochul should sign Medical Aid in Dying now



Every week in New York, another person dies without the option to choose the compassionate death that they deserve, often dying alone or in a hospital surrounded by doctors trying to aggressively treat an illness that has no more options for a cure. These same people could have had a legal choice to die peacefully, surrounded by loved ones in the place of their choosing — if only Gov. Hochul would act.

In June, the Legislature overwhelmingly passed the Medical Aid in Dying Act (A.136/S.138). Four months later, it still sits on the governor’s desk. Every day of inaction denies terminally ill New Yorkers the ability to make the most personal choice of all: how their lives should end.

Eleven jurisdictions, including our neighbors in Vermont and New Jersey, already allow medical aid in dying. The law is clear, careful, and compassionate: a mentally competent, terminally ill adult may request a prescription for life-ending medication. Only the patient can administer it.

Consider ALS, often called “Lou Gehrig’s disease.” It robs people of their freedom, mobility, voice, and — within just a few years — their lives. There is no cure, no treatment, no reprieve. For some patients, the only measure of control left is to decide how and when to say goodbye.

At End of Life Choices New York, we have seen countless families endure the slow, devastating decline of ALS, advanced cancers, and other diseases with no hope of recovery. We have also seen what happens in states where medical aid in dying is legal: it is used rarely, and yet it provides immense relief to patients and their loved ones. Just knowing the option exists often brings peace of mind, even to those who never ultimately use it.

It is important to underscore that Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) is not an alternative to palliative care or hospice. It is an additional safeguard for patients who — despite the best that medicine can offer — continue to face unbearable suffering, both physical and psychological. Doctors and nurses in other states have worked closely with patients who make this choice, ensuring that comfort and compassion guide every step of the process.

New Yorkers support this option by overwhelming margins. Democrats, Republicans, independents — even most Catholics (a group traditionally opposed to such measures) — agree that individuals should be able to make this decision for themselves. A recent poll found that physicians in our state support the bill more than three-to-one, because they know that sometimes the most compassionate care is giving patients the freedom to choose.

Opponents raise concerns about coercion or abuse. That is why the legislation, championed by state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, includes some of the nation’s strictest safeguards. In fact, if coercion exists, it’s often the case that patients are coerced not to use the option, rather than the other way around.

There is also a question of fairness. Wealthy New Yorkers who want this option can relocate to Vermont, New Jersey, Oregon, Delaware, or somewhere else. But most people cannot simply uproot their lives, especially at the very end, leaving behind friends, family, property, pets, doctors, and communities. Should only the affluent be able to die on their own terms?

If Hochul signs, the law would take effect immediately. We are ready to work with doctors, nurses, hospice providers, attorneys, and — most importantly — the patients and families who urgently need this option.

This is not a partisan issue. It is not a religious issue. It is a human issue.

The governor has spoken often about compassion, about dignity, about standing with New Yorkers in their most difficult moments. There is no moment more difficult than facing the end of life without relief from suffering. Signing this bill would be an act of mercy and leadership, giving New Yorkers control over their final days.

New Yorkers have spoken. Their elected representatives have spoken. The evidence from across the country is clear: medical aid in dying is safe, rare, and profoundly meaningful to people who use it and to those who just know it’s an option if they need it.

Now it is Gov. Hochul’s turn.

No law can stop death. But the governor can decide whether it comes with needless suffering — or with dignity and grace.

Zucker is the executive director of End of Life Choices New York, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to improving awareness and options for end-of-life care for New Yorkers and the people who assist them through support, education, outreach, and advocacy.



Source link

Related Posts