In response to the lawsuit submitted by Dr. Nicholas Gideonse, an Oregon physician represented by Compassion & Choices, a nonprofit that advocates for physician-assisted suicide “, According to the Settlement Notice filed in U.S. District Court in Portland, Oregon, on Monday. The Oregon Health Authority, the Oregon Medical Council, and the Multnomah County Attorney’s Office “agreed to draw up internal guidelines stating that they would not enforce or otherwise enforce the residence requirement,” according to the arrangement. “Oregon has long been a leader in respecting the rights of the dying, and the rapid resolution of this suit by government officials is very much in line with these values. Now, Dr. Gideons no longer needs to disrupt the continuity of inpatient care. who want this option, “said Kevin Díaz, chief legal officer for Compassion & Choices. “Thanks to this arrangement, if Dr. Gideonse provides death medical assistance to non-Oregon residents who otherwise qualify for a prescription under the Oregon Dignity Death Act, he or she will no longer face criminal and civil sanctions, “said Darin M. Sands, an associate attorney for Compassion & Choices. “And there is no need to be afraid of possible disciplinary action by the medical council, even the loss of the doctor’s license.” The settlement also requires the Oregon Health Authority to make a legislative request for the permanent abolition of the residence requirement under state law. The National Right to Life Committee, an organization that opposes both doctor-assisted suicide and abortion rights, said the change would “turn Oregon into a suicide-assisted tourism hub” and argued that changes like this would remove safeguards around existing state legislation. The group was not named as part of the lawsuit. Doctor-assisted suicide is legal for residents of nine other U.S. states – Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, Vermont, Washington, Montana and California – as well as the District of Columbia. Individuals must have an incurable disease as well as a prognosis of six months or less to live. Doctors can not be prosecuted for prescribing drugs to accelerate death. The Oregon Medical Council and the Oregon Health Authority did not comment when contacted by CNN. CNN’s Sam Romano contributed to this report.
