Guidelines Released For California's End Of Life Law

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The California Medical Association (CMA) has updated its health law library with a new "on-call" document intended to help physicians and patients understand the End of Life Option Act, which was passed in 2015 and makes physician aid-in-dying legal in California.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed the law in October, and while it hasn't been put into effect yet, a lot of patients and physicians are wondering how the law that allows the prescription of lethal doses of drugs to terminally ill patients works.

Elizabeth Wallner, 52, of Sacramento reviewed the 15-page document. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer five years ago. The terminal illness has her considering getting a prescription if her condition deteriorated significantly.

"When the end comes, I don't want to drown to death or struggle to death, and I'll be able to take advantage once the law goes into effect die with dignity, grace, peace and love," she said.

Wallner was given 18 months to live in 2011, but she's beaten the odds so far.

The document from the California Medical Association helps clear up the mystery surrounding the new law. It covers a number of questions from what kinds of drugs will be prescribed to what an authorizing physician needs to do, to how a patient can qualify for the option.

"We've been getting a lot of questions from people, and we felt instead of making this member specific, we would offer the information to the public, and put the information on our website," said Molly Weedn with the California Medical Association.

California is the fifth state to pass the law. It goes into effect 90 days after the special session of the California legislature closes, which could be anytime between now and November.