Rochester, N.Y. (WHAM) — New York’s controversial new law giving terminally ill adults the legal right to die by prescribed medication officially went into effect on Wednesday, drawing reaction from advocates and opponents.
BACKGROUND: Stage 4 cancer patient supports Hochul’s plan to sign Medical Aid in Dying Act | Reactions mixed over NYS lawmakers passing Medical Aid in Dying Act
For Scott Barraco of Chili, whose late partner Cathy Quinn had tongue cancer, the passage of the Medical Aid in Dying Act took 12 years of advocacy.
“It’s just a good feeling to know that New Yorkers don’t have to suffer against their will unnecessarily,” Baracco said.
Barraco said that in 2014, doctors told Quinn, then 44, that she had a terminal diagnosis and less than six months to live. He said Quinn did not want to suffer and wished to die on her own terms.
“They explained to us that the closest autonomy she had in New York state at that time was to voluntarily stop eating and drinking,” Barraco explained. “I think the moment that she died was peaceful, but it’s nothing like what she wanted or could have had if Medical Aid in Dying was there.”
MORE: Terminal patients ask New York to legalize help with dying
Bryan O’Malley, Vice President for External Affairs at the Center for Disability Rights, strongly opposes the law and said it devalues the lives of disabled individuals.
“It is powerful when the state says, ‘Here’s an out,'” O’Malley said. “That is a powerful message. I think we want to make sure that the response is heard just as loudly, just as powerfully, that you don’t need an out.”
O’Malley said the center houses the “Not Dead Yet Project,” a long-standing group that views the practice as discrimination.
In a letter, Bishop John S. Bonnici also expressed opposition, saying the law “fails to uphold the dignity of every human person, especially those who are most vulnerable.”
“We will look to push against that ableism in every fabric of what we do,” O’Malley said. “And we will continue to be a resource as we move forward.”
O’Malley and other opponents are still fighting the law in court.
MORE: Disability advocates sue to block New York medical aid-in-dying law before August start
Barraco said that while he respects others’ opinions, he wishes the law had taken effect sooner. He said his now-late cousin, who was dying of cancer two months ago, wanted to use it but could not.
“That broke my heart that my cousin was thinking of that… couldn’t have it,” Barraco said. “But I’m glad for the rest of the people.”
The Center for Disability Rights said anyone who needs assistance is encouraged to contact the organization at 585-546-7510.
According to the New York State Department of Health, here is how an individual qualifies for Medical Aid in Dying:
Be an adult, aged 18 or older;Be a resident of New York State;Have a medically confirmed terminal illness that is incurable and irreversible and will likely cause death within 6 months whether or not treatment is provided;Have the ability to understand and appreciate the nature and consequences of Medical Aid in Dying, including the benefits, risks, and alternatives, and to reach an informed decision; andBe able to self-administer the medication.
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