WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – A local organization that supports people with disabilities says New York state did not allow enough time for public comment before its Medical Aid in Dying law took effect.
The law, which went into effect Wednesday, allows mentally capable adults with a terminal illness and a prognosis of six months or less to request medication to end their lives.
It followed two days of public comment.
NRCIL’s concerns
Aileen Martin, executive director of the Northern Regional Center for Independent Living, said two days was not enough time for the state to review public comments. She said the NRCIL submitted comments to the state, but no changes to the law were made.
“The comments that we made encouraged the state to make sure that there were safeguards in place for people with disabilities, that there is enough of a waiting time, that there are multiple physicians signing off, that the person’s voice counts just as much as any family voice supporting someone’s decision to partake of assisted suicide,” Martin said.
Supporters of the law
Advocates for the law say that while most terminally ill people do not choose to use medically assisted suicide, having the option available is important.
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