Death with Dignity–Albany

November 29, 2024: End of Life Bill in the U.K.

Thad Mirer — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 17:21:56 +0000

November 29 2024: The British House of Commons approved an end-of-life bill for England and Wales on its second reading, 330–275. The bill still needs to pass through committees and other steps to achieve final approval. Interestingly, the bill was submitted as a private members bill, not by a government minister. Only by good luck in a random drawing was it chosen to receive a full debate and vote.

Two key features of the bill make it similar to medical-aid-in-dying laws in the U.S. — and different from related laws in Canada, Belgium, and the Netherlands. These are: (1) to be eligible, a patient must be expected to die within six months, and (2) the patient must self-administer the provided substance. However, the procedure is more complicated than in the U.S., with every case required to be reviewed by a judge.

Especially interesting is how the assistance is to be provided under the law. Rather than being based on medication only, there will be a list of “approved substances” that may be used. The list, which is to be specified by government regulations, may include “drugs and other substances”.

The law requires a doctor to be present during the assisted death. The doctor may “prepare a medical device which will enable that person to self-administer the substance” and may “assist that person to ingest or otherwise self-administer the substance”.

The law is clear that ingestion is not the only possible method of self-administering the substance. Thus, intravenous self-administration of a lethal drug (which is an established practice in Switzerland) seems to be well within the vision of the law. Other methods that exist or may be developed may also be available.

May 7, 2024: Spring Lobby Day

Thad Mirer — Fri, 10 May 2024 21:58:03 +0000

May 7, 2024: More than 65 advocates from around the state came to Albany for the Spring Lobby Day organized by Compassion & Choices NY. In the morning the theme was “engage with everyone”. Some advocates rode the elevators in the Legislative Office Building and spoke with a captive audience about medical aid in dying. Others lined the tunnel hallway between the LOB and the Capitol and did the same.

In the afternoon a press conference was held outside the Senate lobby. The main speakers were Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (the number 2 sponsor in the Senate), Dr. Ronald Menzin (who led the Medical Society of the State of New York to formally support the bill), and Assemblymember Amy Paulin (the prime sponsor in the Assembly.)

Also speaking were legislators who are cosponsoring the bill and leaders from New York UU Justice, Planned Parenthood, the League of Women Voters, and End of Life Choices New York.

At the end of the day, the Governor’s health policy team sat down with four doctors and six advocates in the Governor’s reception hall. The doctors presented the supporting case for the bill, and the Governor’s team asked questions.

(Special thanks to Todd Cross, volunteer photographer, for photos on this day.)

The final day for the legislative session is scheduled for June 7, and advocates and supporters will be busy until the bill passes.

2024 Press Conference and Lobby Day

Thad Mirer — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 20:23:49 +0000

January 16, 2024: Kicking off the 2024 campaign to enact the Medical Aid in Dying Act, supporters from around the state gathered today in Albany to participate in a press conference and lobby day. At the press conference, which was led by Corinne Carey of Compassion & Choices NY, the bill sponsors Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblymember Amy Paulin said they were making passage of the Medical Aid in Dying Act in 2024 their top legislative priority.

Senator Hoylman-Sigal displayed the new report of a NY Bar Association task force that recommends that the Association support the bill. In addition, 11 other legislative cosponsors of the bill spoke strongly in its favor, as did a number of advocates from around the state.

Before and after the press conference, advocates broke into groups and visited more than 20 legislators’ offices to seek their support for the bill. In the morning, Senator Sean Ryan (Buffalo area) agreed to become a cosponsor. Later, a group of Albany-area advocates went to Senator Breslin’s office and spoke with his chief of staff. [Update: Senator Breslin became a sponsor of the bill one week later. Thank you Senator!]

Because the Governor unveiled the state budget in the Capitol the same morning, press coverage of our press conference was thin.

A video of the press conference is on the C&C NY Facebook site HERE .
A news report on Medical Aid in Dying featuring an interview with supporter Nancy Murphy was broadcast by WWNY Watertown.
A news report with video was broadcast by NEWS10 Albany.

January 10, 2024: Helping to Pass Medical Aid in Dying for New York

Thad Mirer — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 16:52:00 +0000

Wednesday, January 10, 2024
1:30–3:00 pm
Colonie (William K. Sanford) Town Library, Stedman Room
629 Albany Shaker Rd, Loudonville, NY 12211 Map

Registration is required by the Library: https://colonielibrary.libcal.com/event/11647254

The New York State 2024 legislative session begins in January.

Support by legislators for the Medical Aid in Dying Act has grown in recent years, and last June it appeared that the bill was close to passing. Now, a concerted effort is needed to pass the bill in 2024.

If you want medical aid in dying to be available as an option for you in the future, come to this meeting to review what the bill will do and how you can help get it passed. No experience is required. Bring a friend. The bill won’t pass without the help of people like you!

The main speaker will be Corinne Carey, NY & NJ Campaign Director for Compassion & Choices.

The meeting is free and open to the public. Advance registration is required (see above). No recording will be available.

Lobby Day 2023

Thad Mirer — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 01:15:49 +0000

April 24, 2023: More than 60 supporters from around the state gathered in Albany today to participate in Lobby Day 2023. Dressed all in black with yellow scarves or accents, they began a silent March to End Needless Suffering in the Legislative Office Building at 11:00AM. The march continued into the Capitol building, going up and down escalators, stairs, and elevators, and snaking through ornate hallways.

Reaching the Great Western Staircase just before noon, they lent their presence to a Press Conference led by Corinne Carey. House bill sponsor Assemblywoman Amy Paulin and Senate sponsor Brad Hoylman-Sigal announced that they were intensifying their efforts to pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act this year. Five supporters told their personal stories of loved ones’ lives ending in suffering in New York, and one supporter said she had moved to Oregon with her husband so that he could die peacefully under that state’s Death with Dignity Act.

The afternoon was devoted to visiting lawmakers’ officies, asking for their support and cosponsorship of the bill. A large group of constituents visited Assemblymember Fahy’s office, and an even larger group of constituents visited Senator Breslin’s.

For further information, see:

Videos of the March and the Press Conference are on the CompassionandChoicesNewYork Facebook site HERE
TV Video and Print coverage by WTEN Albany
TV Video and Print coverage by WENY Elmira
Press Release by Compassion and Choices HERE

2023 Campaign Kickoff and Press Conference

Thad Mirer — Sat, 04 Feb 2023 19:55:22 +0000

January 17, 2023: The 2023 legislative campaign to pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act in New York opened today with a rally and press conference in the Capitol Building.

The event was led by Compassion & Choices’ New York Campaign Director Corinne Carey, and it featured the sponsors of the bills: Assemblywoman Amy Paulin and Senator Brad Holyman-Sigal. They were joined by other lawmakers and advocates from around the state.

News outlets carried interesting and varied video reports:

Locally, NEWS 10 (WTEN) included an interview with supporter Cassandra Johnston (Clifton Park) and the remarks of Assemblymember Anna Kelles (Ithaca area). The video can be seen at NEWS10 .
Also, NEWS CHANNEL 13 (WNYT) included interviews with Corinne Carey and supporters Barbara Thomas (Saratoga) and Cassandra Johnston. See NEWS13 .
Finally, from Elmira, WENY included an interview with supporter Stacey Gibson (Hudson Valley) and the remarks of Senator Brad Holyman-Sigal (Senate Sponsor, Manhattan). See WENY .

January 11, 2023: Legalizing Medical Aid in Dying in New York — A Community Conversation

Thad Mirer — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 20:05:49 +0000

Wednesday, January 11, 2023
2:00–4:00 pm
William K. Sanford (Colonie) Town Library, Stedman Room Map
629 Albany Shaker Rd, Loudonville, NY 12211

Corinne Carey

Medical Aid in Dying provides an option for a peaceful and humane death to avoid suffering in end-of-life situations. Following a procedure with numerous safeguards, a physician can write a prescription for a life-ending medication that an individual can take. Usually this is done at home. First available in Oregon, it is now legal in ten states, including New Jersey, Vermont, and Maine. While only a modest number of people actually take the medicine, many more benefit from knowing that it can be available.

The main speaker will be Corinne Carey, Senior New York Campaign Director for Compassion & Choices. Come to find out what the bill would do and what it will take to make New York the next state to authorize this compassionate end-of-life option. Bring a friend and spread the word.

The meeting is free and open to the public.

Lobby Day 2022

Thad Mirer — Sat, 18 Jun 2022 16:20:34 +0000

April 27, 2022: A Rally and Press Conference organized by Compassion & Choices NY was held today in the Legislative Office Building. Among the speakers were Assemblymember Amy Paulin (the Assembly sponsor of the Medical Aid in Dying Act) and Assemblymember Richard Gottfried (chairman of the Assembly Health Committee). Also speaking was Senator Diane Savino (the Senate sponsor of the Act).

Family members of deceased advocates presented very moving stories and lit candles for their loved ones, and Corinne Carey and Amanda Cavanaugh closed the candle-lighting tribute (above, right).

A seven-minute TV news report on the rally was presented on “Capital Tonight” (Spectrum News 1), featuring an interview with advocate Daren Eilert and Campaign Director Corinne Carey. It can be seen HERE .

Also, a press-release account of the event is presented on the Compassion & Choices website HERE .

April 5, 2022: Advance Planning for Health Care — Medical and Legal Considerations

Thad Mirer — Sun, 20 Mar 2022 16:49:56 +0000

David Pratt, M.D. and Rev. Dave Munro, Esq.

Materials from the Meeting

The slides presented by Dr. Pratt are available in our library HERE , in PDF format.

The slides presented by Rev. Dave Munro, Esq. are available in our library HERE , in PDF format.

Also, a document titled “Advance Health Care Directives in New York” by Dave Munro, which is a companion to his presentation, is available in our library HERE , in PDF format.

Unfortunately, a video of the program is not available.

Tuesday, April 5, 2022 — 4:00–5:30 pm (Opens 5 mins early)
Online Zoom Meeting
Advance Registration is Necessary

It’s time to think about Advance Directives again!

Making health care decisions when you are ill is difficult enough, but you also need to plan in advance for situations (such as being in an I.C.U.) when you cannot make them yourself. These plans get embodied in Advance Directives, which include Living Wills, Health Care Proxies, Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders, and Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (MOLST).

A recent New York Times article by Dr. Daniela Lamas (in our library HERE ) points out the difficulties for patients and their doctors that can be caused by directives drawn up years ago. These difficulties arise because people’s ideas and circumstances change over time, as do laws and procedures.

If you prepared advance directives some years ago, it makes sense to review them and make changes as appropriate.

If you or other family members don’t have advance directives, it’s time to learn about them and take some action. And keep in mind that advance directives are important for people of all ages and health conditions, not just the elderly or the sick, because accidents and other unexpected things happen.

David Pratt, M.D. and Rev. Dave Munro, Esq. are long-time members of Death with Dignity–Albany. With a doctor and a lawyer sharing their knowledge and insights about advance directives, there will be lots to learn. The program on April 5 will have a presentation/conversation format, with an opportunity for viewer questions at the end.

This virtual meeting is free and open to the public. To receive a Zoom invitation and meeting link, click on:

You will see a registration approval online and then receive an email.

For an overview of end-of-life medical situations and the role of advance planning, the hour-long PBS documentary “Passing On” is highly recommended. It is available for watching (free), with supplementary material, at passing-on.org This film was shown at our October 2019 meeting.

For more information and background about advance care planning, see the Resources page on our website.

2022 Legislative Campaign Kickoff

Thad Mirer — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 16:33:50 +0000

January 20, 2022: The 2022 campaign to pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act in New York opened today with a virtual rally and press conference led by Compassion & Choices New York Campaign Director Corinne Carey. The online Zoom event had more than 100 participants.

Featured speakers included the lead sponsors of the bill Senator Diane Savino (D-Staten Island) and Assemblymember Amy Paulin (D-Westchester), Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard Gottfried (D-Manhattan), and Dr. Jaime R. Torres (President of Latinos for Healthcare Equity). Assemblymember Gottfried (above, right), who is retiring at the end of this year, has been a long-time supporter of the bill and said he will focus on it this year.

A new 30-second online ad (on Youtube, HERE) in memory of Dr. Robert Milch, a long-time advocate who died in 2021, was shown and family members participated in the news conference.

The campaign will include online meetings of volunteer supporters with legislators throughout the Spring, and Death with Dignity–Albany members will be actively participating. Individual volunteers will also contact legislators by telephone, mail, and social media. A rally at the Capitol is being planned for May.

A fuller account of the campaign kickoff is available from Compassion & Choices HERE.