April 17, 2019
On April 12, 2019, Governor Murphy signed New Jersey’s Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act into law. New Jersey is the 8th state to permit terminally ill, mentally capable adult patients, the right to request life-ending medication. A patient’s attending and consulting physicians must determine that the patient has a life expectancy of six months or less, has the capacity to make health care decisions, and is acting voluntarily, in order for the patient to obtain the medication. The bill establishes additional procedures and safeguards that patients, physicians, and other health care professionals must follow before a qualifying patient may legally obtain and self-administer the medication.
Compassion & Choices, Porzio Governmental Affairs’ client and main advocate for the bill, is the nation’s oldest, largest and most active nonprofit working to improve care and expand options for the end of life.
PGA’s Sal Anderton led the seven-year effort on behalf of Compassion & Choices, with support from Jacy Lance and the entire PGA team.