Oregon removes 15 day waiting period for assisted suicide.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Oregon Governor Kate Brown agreed to expand the assisted suicide law by signing Bill SB 0579 into law. This bill, essentially, eliminates the 15 day waiting period to die by assisted suicide, a safeguard that was designed to assure that the person has an opportunity to change their mind.

Proponents of the bill argued that the bill only applies to people with less than 15 days to live, and yet, it is difficult to know whether someone has less than 15 days to live.

The assisted suicide lobby argued that assisted suicide laws have not expanded in Oregon, therefore there is no fear of expansion in other jurisdictions. But previous to this bill, Oregon Health Authority had expanded assisted suicide by changing the meaning of terminal illness. 

As Fabian Stahle wrote: 

"So under Oregon's assisted death law one can achieve the status of being 'incurably' sick even if the disease can be treated!".

The Netherlands euthanasia law has also expanded by changing the interpretation of the law. The latest Netherlands euthanasia statistics suggest that the euthanasia law has been re-interpreted to include euthanasia for "completed life."

This bill waves the 15 day waiting period, meaning, a person who is approved for assisted suicide can die within days, and if depressed, loses the opportunity to change their mind.