Literature Review

Scotland rejects assisted dying at final stage: MSPs cite coercion fears and palliative care gaps in decision Newser; by Arden Dier; 3/18/26 Scotland has just turned down a chance to become the first part of the UK to allow assisted dying despite widespread support among the public. After five debate sessions and a rare Friday sitting, members of the Scottish Parliament rejected the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill late Tuesday by 69 votes to 57, ... The free vote cut across party lines, ... Opponents repeatedly warned of coercion ... and arguing efforts should instead focus on better end-of-life care. Supporters ... shared personal stories of family members' suffering, insisted robust protections—including doctor checks to determine whether a person was being coerced—were built in.Editor's Note: Scotland's debate resonates with those throughout the U.S. and other countries. I invite you to revisit a "most read" article from our newsletters, "PositivelyJAX Award: The purple bench of Compassionate St. Augustine." Pair these with Daniel Goleman's "cognitive empathy," for which you might not agree--or feel it the same as another--but you do seek to learn and understand the other person's perspective.

[Canada] What about the family? A content analysis of international legislative frameworks and guidelines on assisted dyingPolicy, Politics & Nursing Practice; by Charlotte Boven, Gilla K Shapiro, Liesbeth Van Humbeeck, Let Dillen, Nele Van Den Noortgate, Gary Rodin; 2/26When a person chooses assisted dying, the impact on their family can be profound. Legislation and professional guidelines not only regulate and standardize practice, but also support the delivery of high-quality care. Within this framework, bereavement care plays a vital role by helping families prepare for the death and potentially reducing the risk of prolonged grief. To improve quality care, there is a clear need to better integrate family support into assisted dying guidelines by establishing best practices for bereavement care. Future research should focus on family members' perspectives and needs.

As more states legalize assisted suicide, boomers contemplate end-of-life choices The Washington Post; 2/24/26 While polling has shown that a majority of Americans favor the legality of the practice for terminally ill patients, people are more split on the morality. [Access may be limited per paywall.]

Governor Hochul signs Medical Aid in Dying Act into New York state law New York State - Governor Kathy Hochul, Albany, NY; Press Release; 2/6/26 Governor Hochul today signed legislation S.138/A.136 that will allow medical aid in dying to be available to terminally ill New Yorkers with less than six months to live. This historic bill signing comes after careful reflection and deliberation with the sponsors of the bill, advocacy organizations, and everyday New Yorkers ... The bill, as passed by the Legislature originally included a number of protections in order to ensure that no patient was coerced into choosing medical aid in dying and that no health care professional or religiously affiliated health facility would be forced to offer medical aid in dying. The Governor worked with the Legislature to include additional guardrails that will make sure people won’t be taken advantage of, while still ensuring terminally ill New Yorkers have the choice to die comfortably and on their own terms, including: [continue reading] ...

Husband with ‘caregiver burnout’ pushes wife to end her life with Medical Aid in Dying despite her wishes: Report People Magazine; by Vanessa Etienne; 2/3/26 Medical professionals express concerns about the speed of MAID assessments.

[Updates] New York expected to enact medical aid in dying law in 2026 Nixon Peabody; Press Release; 12/29/25 Explore key amendments and compliance steps in the amended bill, which is expected to take effect in 2026. What’s the impact?

Hospice reaffirms commitment to care amid new state lawThe Post-Journal, Jamestown, NY; Press Release; 12/31/25 As New York state moves toward the implementation of Medical Aid in Dying legislation, Chautauqua Hospice & Palliative Care (CHPC) is reaffirming its unwavering commitment to supporting individuals and families facing terminal illness with dignity, respect, and compassion. In a recently issued press release, CHPC notes that “... While end-of-life options in New York State are evolving, our mission remains the same: to provide expert care, comfort, and emotional support to those confronting serious illness and loss.” Chautauqua Hospice & Palliative Care does not participate in the provision or administration of Medical Aid in Dying medications. ... As the Medical Aid in Dying law moves forward, CHPC recognizes the importance of clear, compassionate guidance. It has developed educational materials to help patients and families understand the new law and how it intersects with hospice care. For those who choose to explore Medical Aid in Dying, we will continue to offer support, information, and, where appropriate under law and policy, connections to outside providers.

Hospice and palliative medicine fellows' perspectives on physician-assisted dying education: Hospice and palliative medicine fellows' perspectives on physician-assisted dyingJournal of Pain and Symptom Management; by James Cescon, Antoinette Esce, Melanie Koren, Edith Meyerson, Mollie A Biewald, Robert M Arnold, Anup Bharani, Laura Belland; 11/25Physician-Assisted Dying (PAD) is legal in a growing number of U.S. states, with access expanding nationally due to recent legislative changes. An anonymous nine-item survey was sent to all HPM fellows (N=21) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. All respondents agreed that learning about PAD in fellowship is important. Topics of interest included ethical considerations (95%), legal criteria (86%), responding to requests in serious illness conversations (86%), navigating requests (76%), and pharmacology/modes of ingestion (71%). While only 10% intended to provide PAD in future practice, 57% were unsure or had not thought about it, and 33% were not considering it. These findings underscore a clear educational need and may guide curriculum development.

Gov. Hochul reaches agreement with NY Legislature to pass Medical Aid in Dying Act NBC News 10, Rochester/Albany, NY; by Evan Bourtis; 12/17/25 Gov. Kathy Hochul has reached an agreement with the New York State Legislature to allow medical aid in dying for terminally ill people. ... Hochul announced the agreement and published an op-ed in the Times Union on Wednesday. In the op-ed, Hochul said she proposed changes to the bill’s language, which sponsors and legislative leaders have agreed to include. She said she’ll sign the bill once the legislature returns to Albany. You can read the op-ed here. ...  Hochul wanted more protections in the bill’s language. Here is the updated list of safeguards in the bill: ...

The hard questions behind medically assisted suicide PJ Media; by David Manney; 12/13/25 Before we start, I need you to know that I'm not advocating for medically assisted suicide (MAS). I do believe that I grasp why some people, in rare and specific circumstances, view it as a deeply personal choice. That belief comes not from emotion, but from watching the hardest years of suffering and listening to families stare at a future without mercy. As more states pass laws, including Illinois, which recently became the twelfth state to legalize medical aid in dying for terminally ill patients with strict criteria, the debate has grown far beyond politics, and into the core of how we treat the most vulnerable among us. ...Editor's Note: In the enacted Illinois statute known as “Deb’s Law,” the formal statutory term is neither “medical aid in dying” nor “medically assisted suicide,” but “aid‑in‑dying medication,” within the “End‑of‑Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act.” 

Canadian woman approved for assisted suicide instead of getting surgery LifeNews.com; by Steven Ertelt; 12/8/25 A Canadian woman suffering from parathyroid disease has revealed that she is considering assisted suicide because she cannot get the surgery she needs. Jolene Van Alstine, from Saskatchewan, suffers from a rare form of parathyroid disease, which results in extreme bone pain, nausea and vomiting. She requires surgery to remove a remaining parathyroid, but no surgeons in Saskatchewan are able to perform the operation. In order to be referred to another province for the operation, Van Alstine must first be seen by an endocrinologist, yet no Saskatchewan endocrinologists are currently accepting new patients. Van Alstine commented that the pain has become so unbearable that she has applied and been approved for Canada’s euthanasia and assisted suicide programme, with the ending of her life scheduled to take place on 7 January 2026.

Uruguay's legislature votes to legalize euthanasia, a first for South America CBS News; by Associated Press; 10/16/25 Uruguay's senate passed a law decriminalizing euthanasia on Wednesday, putting the South American nation among a handful of other countries where seriously ill patients can legally obtain help to end their lives. It makes Uruguay the first country in predominantly Catholic Latin America to allow euthanasia via legislation. Colombia and Ecuador have decriminalized the practice through Supreme Court decisions. ... Fierce debates and spirited activism around the practice has gripped the region in recent years. ... The law, which moved forward in fits and starts over the last five years, cleared its final hurdle on Wednesday as 20 out of 31 senators voted in favor.