New York legalizes assisted death with additional protection and will take effect in July
New York will join thirteen other states in the United States that offer this medical route for a dignified death after Oregon became a pioneer in 1994.
TL;DR
- New York has legalized assisted death for terminally ill patients with less than six months to live.
- The law includes additional protections, such as a mandatory five-day waiting period, audio/video recording of the patient's request, and a mental evaluation by a psychologist or psychiatrist.
- Individuals who could financially benefit from a patient's death are prohibited from witnessing their oral request or acting as an interpreter.
- The law will take effect in July, six months after signing, to allow the Department of Health to establish regulations and for hospitals to prepare their staff.
- New York becomes the fourteenth state in the US to offer assisted death, following Oregon's pioneering law in 1994.