Death with Dignity: A Study of Washington State’s Medical Aid in Dying Laws

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine if Washington State medical professionals believe medical aid in dying (MAID) laws in Washington State are adequate for patients during their end-of-life process. Legally, medical aid in dying can be defined as “a method by which a physician will provide medical supplies and prescription medications to a terminally ill individual as a means for that individual to end their life” (Cornell Law School). In 2023, Washington State passed an expansion on its Death with Dignity law. Washington historically has taken influence from its neighboring governments of Oregon and Canada when it comes to medical aid in dying. With the neighboring governments becoming more progressive in their laws, many have come to worry we’ll run into the same issues they’re running into. My study examines how physicians feel about the current state of Washington’s MAID laws by asking them a series of survey questions where they rate their answers on a scale of 1-5. Every physician would be asked the same questions using the same scale, but the changing variable would be the profession and care they provide to a patient. The goal is to see not only if the law should be expanded/cut, but also to see if different professions of physicians have varying opinions on these laws' impact on their patients.