Physician-Assisted Suicide Advocates say they Will Redouble Albany Efforts in 2019

by Kenneth Lovett
New York Daily News


ALBANY — With three scheduled days left in the legislative session, advocates have given up hope that physician-assisted suicide will be legalized this year in New York.

In a letter to lawmakers, two groups — Compassion & Choices and the Death With Dignity National Center — vowed to redouble their efforts to pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act in 2019 — a nonelection year for state lawmakers.

“Regardless of the outcome of this year’s elections, there will be no running out the clock on terminally ill New Yorkers again,” the letter says. “Your constituents won’t allow it. We won’t allow it. Decency won’t permit it.”

A Quinnipiac University poll in May found New Yorkers support by 63% to 29% allowing doctors to legally prescribe lethal drugs to help terminally ill patients end their own lives.

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