The link below is a very in depth article to read about the evolution and growth of Right to Die laws in the United States and around the world. Right to die laws concern the ability of a person to end their lives prematurely if they are terminally ill. Interestingly, this ties into estate planning with the need for a strong healthcare power of attorney and healthcare directive (sometimes referred to as an advanced directive or living will) which outlines your wishes as to continuing medical care and life preserving treatment if you are terminally ill, persistently unconscious or there is no reasonable expectation of your recovery from a serious illness or condition.
Right to die differs, however. In all but a few states in America, it is currently illegal to assist in the death of the patient. Your healthcare directive can state that you wishes are not to have continuing life preserving care if it is not going to make a difference, but no steps can be proactively taken to end your life. This is obviously a clear distinction and one that the article covers.
I expect right to die to become a key issue (if it is not already) in the coming years, with an aging Baby Boomer population and many industrialized countries such as India and China having large aging populations. It is a contentious issue as well, for clear reasons. Taking someone’s life has never been an accepted medical standard for treating terminal illness. Right to die could change that for terminally ill patients.
Here is the link to the article:
