In an 11-2 vote, the D.C. Council on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to legislation that would allow physicians to prescribe lethal doses of medication to terminally ill patients with a prognosis of six months or less to live, according to The Washington Times.
If the bill becomes law, Washington, D.C., will join four states — California, Oregon, Vermont and Washington — that have already enacted physician-assisted suicide.
The bill is sponsored by Democratic Councilmember Mary M. Cheh. Council members Yvette Alexander and Brianne Nadeau, both Democrats, cast the opposing votes, according to the report. Ms. Alexander said the bill does not provide enough safeguards to prevent abuse or medical error, and could spur distrust between physicians and patients.
"These unresolved concerns include the coercion or undue influence on the elderly, disabled or poor; lack of oversight during the administration of the drug; the difficulty in predicting an individual's final six-month window to live; the pressure on physicians to engage in behavior in contradiction to the Hippocratic oath; and finally, the creation of greater mistrust between the medical community and residents," Ms. Alexander said during deliberation, according to the report.
Ms. Cheh defended the bill, saying, "Now some say under this bill there will be coercion — vulnerable people will be hastened to their death, it will cut off lifesaving care, insurance coverage. These are baseless fears, and no matter how earnestly they may be held, no matter how often they may be repeated, they are without foundation. There are sturdy protections in this bill against the parade of horribles that have been trotted out."
The bill would require terminally ill patients to consult with two physicians over a minimum period of two weeks to obtain the fatal drugs. Two witnesses must also attest to the voluntary nature of the decision, according to the report.
The D.C. Council will vote on the bill once more, which could be as early as Nov. 15, before Mayor Muriel Bowser reviews it for final approval.