Oregon's Death with Dignity Act reports an increase in patients in 2023

(MARCH 29, 2024) The Oregon Death with Dignity Act (DWDA) allows terminally ill patients in Oregon to end their lives using medication prescribed by a doctor. The goal of the DWDA is to provide a legal option for terminally ill patients to have control over their end-of-life decisions while ensuring compliance with strict reporting and qualification requirements.

The DWDA requires patients to meet specific qualifications. They must be at least 18 years old. They must be capable of making healthcare decisions. They must be diagnosed with a terminal illness expected to cause death within six months. Physicians must report patient information to the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) when prescribing the medication.

In 2023, 560 people received prescriptions under the DWDA, and 367 people died from taking the prescribed medication. Most patients were over 65 years old and had cancer as the most common diagnosis. That reflects a 21% increase between 2022 and 2023.  Recently, Oregon made a change to the program. Before, it required patients to be residents of the state. Now non-residents can also receive DWDA prescriptions. This may explain the increase in patients ending their lives in 2023. According to Willamette Week newspaper, "Last year’s increase was the largest ever in absolute terms, but in percentage terms, the increase from 2019 to 2020—34%—was larger."

Since the law was enacted in 1997, a total of 4,274 people have received DWDA prescriptions, with 2,847 deaths reported. The most common medication prescribed was DDMAPh. Most patients died within an hour of ingesting the medication. Most patients were white, aged 65 or older, and died at home while enrolled in hospice care. The most common end-of-life concerns included loss of autonomy, decreasing ability to enjoy life, and loss of dignity.