When I hear a question about dying with dignity, I think about my mom.
That’s why this week’s Tuesday Triage feels so personal. Charles, who just turned 90, asked: “What are my options if I want to die with dignity?” It’s a question many of us carry silently, sometimes even Googling late at night, but rarely talk about out loud.
Today, I unpack what medical aid in dying really is, how it differs from assisted suicide, and what the law means for families like Charles’.
Right now, 11 states plus Washington, D.C. permit medical aid in dying. In California, for example, the End of Life Option Act lays out clear requirements:
Who qualifies? Any adult, 18 or older, who is a California resident, has the capacity to make medical decisions, and has been diagnosed with a terminal disease that is expected to result in death within six months.
What is prescribed? The law refers to an “aid-in-dying drug.”
Self-administration is key. The person themselves must make the conscious, physical act of taking the medication.
Residency matters. You have to prove you live in California: a state driver’s license or ID, voter registration, proof of owning or renting property, or filing a California tax return.
This week’s episode takes a closer look at the process behind California’s law and what specifically makes it different from assisted suicide.
