More than 200 terminally ill Vermonters have qualified for the state’s aid-in-dying law in its first decade, according to a recent report from the Vermont Department of Health. The report reveals that from May 2013 through June 2023, a total of 203 Vermonters sought and qualified for life-ending drugs. The majority of these individuals had been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Vermont legalized medical-aid-in-dying in May 2013, becoming one of only ten states, along with the District of Columbia, where the practice is legal. Advocates refer to it as death with dignity, while opponents label it as assisted suicide. The recent report sheds light on the number of Vermonters who elected to utilize the state’s law.
However, it is important to note that not all of those who qualified for the drugs actually obtained or used them. Some individuals passed away from their underlying illnesses before engaging in the process.
The report shows that the vast majority of participants in the program had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Others were grappling with neurodegenerative conditions such as ALS, end-stage lung diseases, and various ailments.
I think that it’s worked out very well for people, said Sen. Ginny Lyons, D-Chittenden Southeast, who has long advocated for medical-aid-in-dying in Vermont. I think one of the more important parts of the (aid-in-dying) law is that it allows for people to realize the end of their life along with family members and to have that close relationship with people.
She added, A number of folks, including some whom I knew who took advantage of this, were very happy at the end of their lives to be able to have their family around them.
Over the years, Vermont has taken steps to make the aid-in-dying process more accessible for patients. The original law required patients with a prognosis of six months or less to live to make two in-person visits to a physician, consult with another physician, and submit a written request. Furthermore, a mandatory waiting period of 48 hours was imposed.
However, in the spring of 2022, the law was amended to streamline the process. Patients were granted the option to engage in conversations with prescribing physicians via telemedicine, and the final 48-hour waiting period was eliminated.
Betsy Walkerman, president of Patient Choices Vermont, a group that advocates for medical-aid-in-dying, highlighted the impact of these changes. She emphasized the significance of telemedicine for individuals with limited mobility.
We’ve made some really important changes over the last two years, Walkerman explained. Making it possible for the requests and conversations with doctors to occur over telemedicine in particular was really comforting and helpful to people who have limited mobility and can’t physically get to a doctor.
These changes have evidently expanded access to medical-aid-in-dying care in Vermont. According to the report, of the 203 patients who sought and qualified for the prescription in the first decade of the program, 85 did so between 2021 and 2023.
In another development, Vermont recently extended aid-in-dying access to nonresidents of the state. Terminally ill adults residing outside of Vermont can now consult with Vermont-licensed physicians about receiving a prescription to hasten their death. However, the report only includes data on Vermont residents and does not encompass cases involving out-of-state residents.
The numbers do indicate that people are now having more open conversations about all of their options with their families and medical providers, and that getting access to medical-aid-in-dying has become more direct and easy, said Walkerman, reflecting on the positive impact of these changes.
As medical-aid-in-dying continues to be a topic of discussion and debate across the country, Vermont’s experience provides valuable insight into the process and its impact on terminally ill individuals. With the ongoing efforts to improve accessibility and accommodate the needs of patients, advocates and opponents alike will continue to engage in meaningful dialogue.
