X-Message-Number: 24263
From: 
Date: Thu, 17 Jun 2004 13:50:16 EDT
Subject: Oreg'n, Asst'd Suic'de & Hypoth'rmia --Law

Some HTML in last post so it bombed.  Trying again:

Below is the law that got truncated yesterday (now days ago). 

I have also learned that to get an Oregon voter registration card takes 4-6 
weeks. You go in, give them your address and register, then it takes 4-6 weeks 
to generate the card and it is mailed to the address you gave. I doubt that 
the card is necessary but it might be helpful if you knew well beforehand. 

Also, although Oregon does seem to fill most needs, we should still work on 
Switzerland in case of Alzheimer's. That can take 8-10 years to kill the body 
but the mind is gone long before. Oregon requires one to be within six months 
of death before assisted suicide is allowed, which wouldn't help much in this 
case. Switzerland has no such requirement. 

Here is the central part of the long 
law:http://www.leg.state.or.us/ors/127.html 

127.805  2.01. Who may initiate a written request for medication. (1) An 
adult who is capable, is a resident of Oregon, and has been determined by the 
attending physician and consulting physician to be suffering from a terminal 
disease, and who has voluntarily expressed his or her wish to die, may make a 
written request for medication for the purpose of ending his or her life in a 
humane and dignified manner in accordance with ORS 127.800 to 127.897. 
(2) No person shall qualify under the provisions of ORS 127.800 to 127.897 
solely because of age or disability. [1995 c.3  2.01; 1999 c.423  2]
127.810  2.02. Form of the written request. (1) A valid request for 

medication under ORS 127.800 to 127.897 shall be in substantially the form 
described in 
ORS 127.897, signed and dated by the patient and witnessed by at least two 
individuals who, in the presence of the patient, attest that to the best of 

their knowledge and belief the patient is capable, acting voluntarily, and is 
not 
being coerced to sign the request.
(2) One of the witnesses shall be a person who is not:
(a) A relative of the patient by blood, marriage or adoption;
(b) A person who at the time the request is signed would be entitled to any 
portion of the estate of the qualified patient upon death under any will or by 
operation of law; or
(c) An owner, operator or employee of a health care facility where the 
qualified patient is receiving medical treatment or is a resident.
(3) The patient's attending physician at the time the request is signed shall 
not be a witness.
(4) If the patient is a patient in a long term care facility at the time the 
written request is made, one of the witnesses shall be an individual 

designated by the facility and having the qualifications specified by the 
Department of 
Human Services by rule. [1995 c.3  2.02]
(Safeguards)
(Section 3)
127.815  3.01. Attending physician responsibilities. (1) The attending 
physician shall:
(a) Make the initial determination of whether a patient has a terminal 
disease, is capable, and has made the request voluntarily;
(b) Request that the patient demonstrate Oregon residency pursuant to ORS 
127.860;
(c) To ensure that the patient is making an informed decision, inform the 
patient of:
(A) His or her medical diagnosis;
(B) His or her prognosis;
(C) The potential risks associated with taking the medication to be 
prescribed;
(D) The probable result of taking the medication to be prescribed; and
(E) The feasible alternatives, including, but not limited to, comfort care, 
hospice care and pain control;
(d) Refer the patient to a consulting physician for medical confirmation of 
the diagnosis, and for a determination that the patient is capable and acting 
voluntarily;
(e) Refer the patient for counseling if appropriate pursuant to ORS 127.825;
(f) Recommend that the patient notify next of kin;
(g) Counsel the patient about the importance of having another person present 
when the patient takes the medication prescribed pursuant to ORS 127.800 to 
127.897 and of not taking the medication in a public place;
(h) Inform the patient that he or she has an opportunity to rescind the re
quest at any time and in any manner, and offer the patient an opportunity to 
rescind at the end of the 15 day waiting period pursuant to ORS 127.840;
(i) Verify, immediately prior to writing the prescription for medication 
under ORS 127.800 to 127.897, that the patient is making an informed decision;
(j) Fulfill the medical record documentation requirements of ORS 127.855;
(k) Ensure that all appropriate steps are carried out in accordance with ORS 
127.800 to 127.897 prior to writing a prescription for medication to enable a 
qualified patient to end his or her life in a humane and dignified manner; and
(L)(A) Dispense medications directly, including ancillary medications 

intended to facilitate the desired effect to minimize the patient's discomfort,

provided the attending physician is registered as a dispensing physician with 
the 
Board of Medical Examiners, has a current Drug Enforcement Administration 
certificate and complies with any applicable administrative rule; or
(B) With the patient's written consent:
(i) Contact a pharmacist and inform the pharmacist of the prescription; and
(ii) Deliver the written prescription personally or by mail to the 

pharmacist, who will dispense the medications to either the patient, the 
attending 
physician or an expressly identified agent of the patient.
(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the attending physician may 
sign the patient's death certificate. [1995 c.3  3.01; 1999 c.423  3]
127.820  3.02. Consulting physician confirmation. Before a patient is 

qualified under ORS 127.800 to 127.897, a consulting physician shall examine the
patient and his or her relevant medical records and confirm, in writing, the 
attending physician's diagnosis that the patient is suffering from a terminal 

disease, and verify that the patient is capable, is acting voluntarily and has 
made 
an informed decision. [1995 c.3  3.02]
127.825  3.03. Counseling referral. If in the opinion of the attending 

physician or the consulting physician a patient may be suffering from a 
psychiatric 
or psychological disorder or depression causing impaired judgment, either 

physician shall refer the patient for counseling. No medication to end a 
patient's 
life in a humane and dignified manner shall be prescribed until the person 
performing the counseling determines that the patient is not suffering from a 
psychiatric or psychological disorder or depression causing impaired judgment. 
[1995 c.3  3.03; 1999 c.423  4]
127.830  3.04. Informed decision. No person shall receive a prescription for 
medication to end his or her life in a humane and dignified manner unless he 

or she has made an informed decision as defined in ORS 127.800 (7). Immediately
prior to writing a prescription for medication under ORS 127.800 to 127.897, 
the attending physician shall verify that the patient is making an informed 
decision. [1995 c.3  3.04]
127.835  3.05. Family notification. The attending physician shall recommend 
that the patient notify the next of kin of his or her request for medication 
pursuant to ORS 127.800 to 127.897. A patient who declines or is unable to 

notify next of kin shall not have his or her request denied for that reason. 
[1995 
c.3  3.05; 1999 c.423  6]
127.840  3.06. Written and oral requests. In order to receive a prescription 
for medication to end his or her life in a humane and dignified manner, a 
qualified patient shall have made an oral request and a written request, and 

reiterate the oral request to his or her attending physician no less than 
fifteen 
(15) days after making the initial oral request. At the time the qualified 

patient makes his or her second oral request, the attending physician shall 
offer 
the patient an opportunity to rescind the request. [1995 c.3  3.06]
127.845  3.07. Right to rescind request. A patient may rescind his or her 

request at any time and in any manner without regard to his or her mental state.
No prescription for medication under ORS 127.800 to 127.897 may be written 

without the attending physician offering the qualified patient an opportunity to
rescind the request. [1995 c.3  3.07]
127.850  3.08. Waiting periods. No less than fifteen (15) days shall elapse 
between the patient's initial oral request and the writing of a prescription 
under ORS 127.800 to 127.897. No less than 48 hours shall elapse between the 

patient's written request and the writing of a prescription under ORS 127.800 to
127.897. [1995 c.3  3.08]
127.855  3.09. Medical record documentation requirements. The following shall 
be documented or filed in the patient's medical record:
(1) All oral requests by a patient for medication to end his or her life in a 
humane and dignified manner;
(2) All written requests by a patient for medication to end his or her life 
in a humane and dignified manner;
(3) The attending physician's diagnosis and prognosis, determination that the 
patient is capable, acting voluntarily and has made an informed decision;
(4) The consulting physician's diagnosis and prognosis, and verification that 
the patient is capable, acting voluntarily and has made an informed decision;
(5) A report of the outcome and determinations made during counseling, if 
performed;
(6) The attending physician's offer to the patient to rescind his or her 

request at the time of the patient's second oral request pursuant to ORS 
127.840; 
and
(7) A note by the attending physician indicating that all requirements under 
ORS 127.800 to 127.897 have been met and indicating the steps taken to carry 
out the request, including a notation of the medication prescribed. [1995 c.3 
 3.09]
127.860  3.10. Residency requirement. Only requests made by Oregon residents 
under ORS 127.800 to 127.897 shall be granted. Factors demonstrating Oregon 
residency include but are not limited to:
(1) Possession of an Oregon driver license;
(2) Registration to vote in Oregon;
(3) Evidence that the person owns or leases property in Oregon; or
(4) Filing of an Oregon tax return for the most recent tax year. [1995 c.3 
 3.10; 1999 c.423  8]
127.865  3.11. Reporting requirements. (1)(a) The Department of Human 

Services shall annually review a sample of records maintained pursuant to ORS 
127.800 
to 127.897.
(b) The department shall require any health care provider upon dispensing 
medication pursuant to ORS 127.800 to 127.897 to file a copy of the dispensing 
record with the department.
(2) The department shall make rules to facilitate the collection of 

information regarding compliance with ORS 127.800 to 127.897. Except as 
otherwise 

required by law, the information collected shall not be a public record and may 
not 
be made available for inspection by the public.
(Emphasis mine, Alan)
(3) The department shall generate and make available to the public an annual 
statistical report of information collected under subsection (2) of this 
section. [1995 c.3  3.11; 1999 c.423  9; 2001 c.104  40]


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