Oregon's Death With Dignity Law

Find out what the requirements are for obtaining a prescription for life-ending medication under Oregon’s law.

By , J.D. · UC Berkeley School of Law
Updated by Jessica Gillespie, MSLIS · Long Island University

In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of states considering death with dignity laws. Sometimes called "medical aid in dying," "assisted suicide," or "right to die" initiatives, these laws make it possible for terminally ill patients to use prescribed medication to end their lives peacefully rather than suffering a painful and protracted death.

The catalyst for greater national attention to this issue was 29-year-old Brittany Maynard, a woman diagnosed with terminal brain cancer who moved from California to Oregon to end her life in 2014. Maynard chose Oregon because California had not yet passed its aid-in-dying law, and Oregon is one of just a few other states to allow terminally ill patients to legally end their lives.

Oregon's Death With Dignity Act

Oregon was the first state to pass a Death With Dignity Act (DWDA). The law was approved in the state's general election in 1994 but had to weather many challenges before taking effect in 1997. Since then, 4,274 people have received prescriptions under the act and 2,847 have used them to die. (For additional statistics, see the 2023 Death With Dignity Act Data Summary published by the Oregon Department of Public Health.)

This article first clarifies some confusing language related to death with dignity laws and then sets out the requirements for obtaining a prescription for life-ending medication under Oregon's law.

Death With Dignity, Assisted Suicide, Right to Die: What's In a Name?

"Death with dignity" and "medical aid in dying" are two of the most commonly accepted phrases describing the process by which a terminally ill person ingests prescribed medication to hasten death. Many people still think of this process as "assisted suicide" or "physician assisted suicide." However, proponents of death with dignity argue that the term "suicide" doesn't apply to terminally ill people who would prefer to live but, facing certain death within months, choose a more gentle way of dying. In fact, Oregon's Death With Dignity Act specifically states that terminating one's life under the law is not suicide. (Oregon Revised Statutes § 127.880 (2024).)

Increasingly, health organizations are turning away from the term "suicide" to describe a terminally ill patient's choice to reduce the suffering of an inevitable death. The phrase "aid in dying" is becoming a more accepted way to refer to this process.

You may also see the phrase "right to die" used in place of "death with dignity" or "aid in dying." However, "right to die" is more accurately used in the context of directing one's own medical care—that is, refusing life-sustaining treatment such as a respirator or feeding tubes when permanently unconscious or close to death. You can provide your own health care directions by completing an Oregon advance health care directive. (See the end of this article for more information.)

Death With Dignity Requirements in Oregon

To request a prescription for life-ending medication in Oregon, the patient must be:

  • at least 18 years old
  • mentally capable of making and communicating health care decisions, and
  • diagnosed with a terminal illness that will result in death within six months.

A patient who meets the requirements above will be prescribed aid-in-dying medication only if:

  • The patient makes two verbal requests to their doctor, at least 15 days apart. (The 15-day waiting period can be waived if the doctor has confirmed that the patient is fewer than 15 days from death when making the initial verbal request.)
  • The patient gives a written request to the doctor, signed in front of two qualified, adult witnesses. (You can find the required Request for Medication form on the website of the Oregon Department of Public Health.)
  • The prescribing doctor and one other doctor confirm the patient's diagnosis and prognosis.
  • The prescribing doctor and one other doctor determine that the patient is capable of making medical decisions.
  • The patient has a psychological examination, if either doctor feels the patient's judgment is impaired.
  • The prescribing doctor informs the patient of any feasible alternatives to the medication, including care to relieve pain and keep the patient comfortable.
  • The prescribing doctor asks the patient to notify their next of kin of the prescription request. (The doctor cannot require the patient to notify anyone, however.)
  • The prescribing doctor offers the patient the opportunity to withdraw the request for aid-in-dying medication before granting the prescription.

To use the medication, the patient must be able to ingest it on their own. A doctor or other person who administers the aid-in-dying medication may face criminal charges.

To read the full text of Oregon's Death With Dignity Act, see Oregon Revised Statutes §§ 127.800 and following.

Learn More

For more details about Oregon's Death With Dignity Act, see the extensive list of Frequently Asked Questions and other Death With Dignity Act Resources on the website of the Oregon Department of Public Health.

To find out more about the history and current status of death with dignity laws in the United States, visit the website of the Death With Dignity National Center.

For information about appointing a health care agent and making known your own wishes for medical care at the end of life, see the Living Wills & Medical Powers of Attorney section of Nolo.com.

Updated March 22, 2024

Ready to create your will?

Get Professional Help
Talk to an Estate Planning attorney.
There was a problem with the submission. Please refresh the page and try again
Full Name is required
Email is required
Please enter a valid Email
Phone Number is required
Please enter a valid Phone Number
Zip Code is required
Please add a valid Zip Code
Please enter a valid Case Description
Description is required

How It Works

  1. Briefly tell us about your case
  2. Provide your contact information
  3. Choose attorneys to contact you