The Washington State Department of Health has released the 2016 Death with Dignity Act Report.
In the period from January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016, 248 Washington residents obtained medications prescribed under the Washington Death with Dignity Act. Of the 248 “participants,” 240 are known to have died, 192 after ingesting the medication and 36 without.* Prescriptions were written by 140 different physicians and dispensed by 47 different pharmacists.
Washington Death with Dignity Act provides end-of-life comfort and peace of mind to a growing number of state residents.
The characteristics of people using the Act are similar to past years:
- The youngest person to die was 33 years old, the oldest 98.
- 77 percent of those who died had cancer, 8 percent ALS or similar neuro-generative disease, and 16 percent had heart, respiratory, and other diseases.
- 92 percent had private, Medicare, Medicaid, or other insurance (or a combination).
- Loss of autonomy (87%), loss of ability to participate in activities that make life enjoyable (84%), and loss of dignity (66%) were again the chief concerns of people using the law.
- 88 percent died at home.
- 77 percent were enrolled in hospice care when they died.
The release of the report merited no mention in the media, likely because there were, yet again, no issues in the implementation of the law. Despite what opponents of assisted dying allege, the law continues to work well without any evidence of violations.
* For the remaining deceased prescription holders the ingestion status is unknown.
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