May the Attorney General Sanction Physicians Who Comply with Oregons Death with Dignity Act?
Gonzales v. Oregon et al. Docket No. 04-623 From: The Ninth Circuit Case at a Glance In certain circumstances, the Oregon Death with Dignity Act permits a physician to prescribe medications that would enable a mentally competent, terminally ill patient to end his or her life. The U.S. attorney general has determined, however, that the federal Controlled Substances Act prohibits the distribution of such medications for the purpose of facilitating a suicide. The state of Oregon has now asked the Court to determine whether that is a permissible interpretation of federal law. • Previewed by Kelly Vincent O’Donnell and Prof. Vikram David Amar of the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, California.
