The New York Legislature has passed a significant bill enabling terminally ill individuals to choose to end their lives through prescribed pharmaceutical drugs. To qualify, patients must have an incurable illness and a prognosis of six months or less to live, with requests requiring approval from two physicians and witness signatures verifying no coercion. The bill faced opposition centered on religious beliefs and calls for improved end-of-life care. This legislative action mirrors similar laws in eleven other states and aims to empower patients in their end-of-life choices.
"It's not about hastening death, but ending suffering," said state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, a Democrat who sponsored the proposal.
"We should not be in the business of state-authorized suicide," said state Sen. George Borrello, a Republican.
Dennis Poust, executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference, which has opposed the measure, said 'This is a dark day for New York State.'
Corinne Carey, the group's local campaign director, said lawmakers had 'recognized how important it is to give terminally ill patients the option to choose their destiny.'
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