Dive Brief:
- Legislation signed by California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) in October 2015 that allows terminally ill patients to request lethal doses of medications to end their lives will go into effect June 9, the Los Angeles Times reports.
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The start date had been unknown until last week because the law was written to begin 90 days after the adjournment of the legislative session that just closed last Thursday.
- The End of Life Option Act makes California the fifth state to legalize medically-assisted suicide.
Dive Insight:
Though California is hardly breaking new ground as the fifth state to make this move, it could prove to be the most heavily-watched state, experts say.
The reason California stands out is because of its sheer population size and diversity, as well as its progressive and trendsetting culture, Modern Healthcare reports. While other states have seen very moderate use of the option and report "few if any" abuses, some suggest California will have to work harder to ensure the protection of vulnerable patients.
As Modern Healthcare notes, much of the impact will come down to how healthcare providers respond to the law, which allows providers to opt out of assisting patients seeking to end their lives.
The legislation is for patients estimated by two physicians to have less than six months to live and requires them to make multiple requests weeks apart.