By Margaret K. Dore, Esq., MBA
The Act has an application process to obtain the lethal drug, which includes a lethal drug request form with two required witnesses.[1] One of the witnesses is allowed to be the patient’s heir who will financially benefit from the patient’s death.[2]
The Act features patient protections such as a second doctor and a requirement that the patient be capable. These protections, however, are trumped by death certificate requirements and otherwise unenforceable or illusory.
Once the lethal drug is issued by the pharmacy, there is no oversight. No doctor or witness is required to be present at the death. Even if the patient struggled, who would know?
Footnotes:
1. The form can be viewed in the Act at §3(c), attached here at pages A-7 & A-8.
2. Id., at page A-8.
