‘The humane thing to do’: Staten Island state senator renews call to pass Medical Aid in Dying Act
Originally published in
Staten Island Advance
on
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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Following a historic vote that saw the Medical Aid in Dying Act pass in the New York state Assembly late last month, one state senator from Staten Island is hoping to carry the momentum.
Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, a Democrat who represents the North Shore of Staten Island and part of South Brooklyn, renewed her call this week to pass the measure, joining other elected officials and numerous medical, law and statewide organizations in offering strong public support.
The Medical Aid in Dying Act, which counts Scarcella-Spanton as its prime co-sponsor, would allow mentally competent, terminally ill patients over the age of 18 the choice of self-administering prescribed life-ending medication. Only those with medically confirmed terminal illnesses and conditions who have fewer than six months to live would be able to request medical aid in dying. A person wouldn’t qualify for the measure, also commonly known as MAID, solely because of age or disability, and there is no list of qualifying medical conditions. If passed, health care providers who didn’t wish to participate in the process could opt out without fear of retribution.
“Medical Aid in Dying is gaining momentum and support from respected organizations like (Medical Society of the State of New York) and (Hospice & Palliative Care Association of NYS) because giving terminally ill people the choice to die with dignity and compassion is the humane thing to do,” said Scarcella-Spanton in a written statement. “Every day, New Yorkers with terminal illnesses are suffering needlessly, because New York state still has not gotten this legislation across the finish line.
“Passing MAID means giving people autonomy they deserve to make their own end-of-life decisions, and I won’t stop fighting until it’s written into law here in New York.”
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