Will Physician-Assisted Death Ever Be A Legal Reality In Idaho?

Extreme pain is a daily reality for millions of Americans. When a person feels like they no longer have the strength or will to live another day due to a medical condition, they often seek advice and guidance on taking steps to end their suffering.

Physician-assisted death is outlawed in most of America. There are less than a dozen states where a terminally ill person can go to seek help in ending pain and suffering caused by an illness, according to compassionandchoices.org. Oregon, Washington, Montana, Vermont, California, Colorado, Washington D.C., Hawaii, New Jersey, Maine, and New Mexico have taken steps to provide such assistance to these types of patients, according to compassionandchoices.org.

Chronic disease affects more than 130 million Americans, according to nationalhealthcouncil.org. When you factor in terminal illness due to cancer, that number increases.

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The subject of Death with Dignity once again made national headlines recently. Arizona Dr. Stephen Miller, 85, pleaded not guilty to multiple charges stemming from assisting a New York woman with ending pain from a chronic illness earlier this year. He was sentenced to a jail term after it was determined he broke New York laws regarding assisted death, according to nbcnews.com.

Idaho does not presently grant physicians the right to participate in these treatments for very sick patients, according to an Idaho state legislature website. Chronic disease affects more than 130 million Americans, according to nationalhealthcouncil.org. When you factor in terminal illness due to cancer, that number increases. That's a lot of people whose quality of life is so poor that many just want the pain to end.

Suppose a person takes the necessary steps to communicate their willingness to die to end suffering and reaches out to a doctor for help. Why is it the physician's burden to defend themselves in a court of law and potentially be fined, jailed, or lose their medical licenses as a result?