International Task Force
on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide


SPOTLIGHT on OREGON


Oregon, Belgium and The Netherlands are the only places in the world that have laws specifically permitting assisted suicide. 

Oregon's law has become the "model" that is being or will be considered in other states and countries.  As those proposals are under consideration, it remains to be seen whether decision-makers will rely on the deceptively rosy picture painted by assisted-suicide supporters - or on the documented reality of the Oregon Experience.

............................

Oregon Health Plan refuses to pay for prescribed treatment, but tells patient it will pay for assisted suicide if she chooses it.  "A Gift of Treatment"  (Register-Guard; Eugene, OR; June 3, 2008)

"Physician-Assisted Suicide in Oregon: A Medical Perspective,"
Herbert Hendin, M.D. and Kathleen Foley, M.D. (Michigan Law Review, Vol. 106; 8, June 2008)

"Oregon's assisted-suicide law: Revealing Quotes from Those in the Know"
Documented statements made by assisted-suicide advocates shed light on the assisted-suicide agenda. (3/26/08)

Oregon Statistics
Chart - "10 Years under Oregon's Assisted-Suicide Law." (2008)

Ten Years of Assisted Suicide in Oregon
What can be learned from the first ten years of official reports? What can be learned from the statements of those who are most involved in implementing and reporting about the Oregon law? (Fully documented fact sheet, including official statistics. (3/20/08)

Tenth Official Report on assisted suicide in Oregon. (3/18/08)

Oregon's Assisted-Suicide Law: Reports & Safeguards
Claims that Oregon's law has been problem free and has adequate safeguards cannot be verified.

"The Oregon Experience"
The words of those who implement Oregon's law, compile official reports about it, or prescribe the lethal drugs clearly show that the so-called safeguards are not protective and that monitoring of assisted suicide is close to non-existent. (3/06)

                                             ............................

Oregon's Assisted Suicide Law
Text of Oregon's "Death with Dignity" law.
                                                        ............................

All Official Annual Reports:
Oregon's Death with Dignity Act: The First Year Experience
1999 official report on Oregon's assisted suicide law.

Oregon's Death with Dignity Act: The Second Year Experience
2000 official report on Oregon's assisted suicide law.

Oregon's Death with Dignity Act: The Third Year Experience
2001 official report on Oregon's assisted suicide law.

Oregon's Death with Dignity Act: The Fourth Year Experience
2002 official report on Oregon's assisted suicide law.

Oregon's Death with Dignity Act: The Fifth Year Experience
2003 official report on Oregon's assisted suicide law.

Oregon's Death with Dignity Act: The Sixth Year Experience
2004 official report on Oregon's assisted suicide law.

Oregon's Death with Dignity Act: The Seventh Year Experience
2005 official report on Oregon's assisted suicide law.

Oregon's Death with Dignity Act: The Eighth Year Experience
2006 official report on Oregon's assisted suicide law.

Oregon's Death with Dignity Act: The Ninth Year Experience
2006 official report on Oregon's assisted suicide law.

Oregon's Death with Dignity Act: The Tenth Year Experience
2008 official report
on Oregon's assisted suicide law

Statistics may not be accurate: Those responsible for issuing official annual reports have acknowledged, from the very beginning of Oregon's assisted suicide law, that the reports may not be accurate or complete.  According to the Oregon Health Division, "The entire account [given by a doctor] may be a cock and bull story.  We assume, however that physicians were their usual careful and accurate selves"  Source: CD Summary, Oregon Health Division, section titled "Study Limitations." 

............................

Articles and Analysis:

"Oregon nixes use of term 'physician-assisted suicide':
Right-to-die advocates hope that changing the language may help pass laws in other states."  (AMNews, 11/6/06)

"Emotional and Psychological Effects of Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia on Participating Physicians" by Kenneth R. Stevens, Jr., M.D., FACR
"Many doctors who have participated in euthanasia and/or PAS are adversely affected emotionally and psychologically by their experiences." (5/06)

DHS News Release contradicts assisted-suicide advocate's claims
DHS issued a news release declaring, "The state law authorizing physician-assisted suicide neither requires nor authorizes investigations by DHS." (3/4/05) 

Proof of Failed Assisted-Suicide Safeguards in Oregon
Depressed patient given prescription for lethal drugs.  (Paper delivered at American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, 5/6/04)

Doctors of Death
Oregon HMO solicits its doctors to kill. (National Review Online, 8/19/02)

Oregon's 3rd Annual Assisted-Suicide Report: More of the same
The most recent official report contains the same flaws as reports for previous years.(4/01)

Oregon psychologists polled on assisted suicide and state's PAS law (7/99)

Oregon report on end-of-life care shows need for improvement (7/99)

Oregon PAS law spun to look good
Oregon Health Division says reported information may be "cock and bull story" (3/99)

Oregon death highlights discriminatory side of PAS law
Now it's the "purpose" of the law (death) that counts, not the "safeguards" (3/99)

Oregon issues sketchy first report on assisted suicide deaths
Assisted suicide supporter admits many cases may be going unreported (10/98)

Federal judge dismisses latest challenge to Oregon's law
Judge Michael Hogan states that Oregon's law my be incapable of judicial review( 9/98)

Congressional bills to ban lethal prescriptions spark debate
Excerpts from debate on bills to prohibit prescriptions of controlled substances for assisted suicide. (7/98)

Reno reverses DEA ruling
Attorney general says DEA will not take action against doctors who intentionally prescribe fatal doses of controlled drugs under the provisions of Oregon's assisted suicide law.(6/98)

Guidelines for assisted suicide in Oregon
State will fund lethal prescriptions (3/24/98)

November-December 1997 IAETF Update
Documented Special Report on the Oregon vote and its aftermath (1/15/98)

Special Report: Oregon Takes a Closer Look at Assisted Suicide
In depth look at the campaign to repeal Measure 16 (10/25/97)

Flaws in Measure 16
Documented information about flaws in Oregon's assisted suicide law (10/25/97)

Liar, Liar
Bigotry and Fraud in the Oregon campaign to repeal Measure 16 (10/19/97)

................

Gonzales v. Oregon (previously titled, Oregon v. Ashcroft The case, regarding the use of federally controlled substances for assisted suicide, was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court on January 17, 2006.  Overview of case, U.S. Supreme Court decision, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision, Text of Ashcroft Directive, ITF amicus curiae briefs, and more.

 .................

For additional information on Oregon's law permitting assisted suicide, use the search function found at the International Task Force Main Page.
 


Back | Home | Contact | Search | Site Map

International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide
PO Box 760 - Steubenville, OH 43952
740-282-3810

Copyright © 1996 - 2008, International Task Force. All Rights Reserved.