CMA Issues New Physician Resource on California’s End of Life Option Act January 20, 2016 CMA, Physician Resource ABX2-15, End of Life Option Act, physician aid-in-dying 0 The California Medical Association (CMA) has released a new On-Call document to help physicians understand ABX2-15, California’s End of Life Option Act. The guide was developed by CMA’s Center for Legal Affairs to help physicians and patients understand the End of Life Option Act, which will go into effect 90 days after the special session of the California state legislature ends. California became the fifth state in the nation to allow physicians to prescribe terminally ill patients medication to end their lives. ABX2-15, the “End of Life Option Act,” was passed in October 2015 and permits terminally ill adult patients with capacity to make medical decisions to be prescribed an aid-in-dying medication if certain conditions are met. (ABX2-15, Stats. 2015, Ch.1; Health & Safety Code §§443et seq.) The 15-page guide offers FAQs and outlines documentation and forms required to adhere to this legislation. Click here to access the End of Life Option Act Guide for Physicians. CMA removed its longstanding opposition to physician aid-in-dying last May. The San Francisco Medical Society, citing both surveys of physician opinion and the reassuring evidence from other states, successfully advocated that CMA become neutral on the bill and topic, thus allowing the legislation to reach Governor Brown. SFMS will continue to work for improved end-of-life care and patient choice, and feel that this bill will advance those goals for all Californians. Comments are closed.
