California End-Of-Life Law Begins On Thursday

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - On Thursday, California will join three other states that have enacted end-of-life laws. After an extensive process, terminally ill patients will be able to end their lives at their discretion.

"We don't like to think about it," said Assemblywoman Susan Eggman. "We don't like to talk about it. We think it's going to happen to somebody but not us."

But sidestepping the conversation about death is something the former hospice worker wants to stop. From her perspective, the End of Life Option Act is a step in the right direction for California.

"It provides the ability to provide one more option for people at the end of their life," Eggman said. "Also encourages the conversation about what people want and don't want in their final days."

After the bill was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in October, California joined Oregon, Washington and Vermont in the small group of states that allows physician-assisted suicide.

First, in order to receive end-of-life drugs, you must be over 18 years old. Second, you must have a prognosis of less than six months to live. And third, you must be capable of making your own medical decisions. The process, Eggman said, starts with a conversation between the patient and their primary care physician.

"Often times this comes at the end of a very long fight against something," Eggman said. "This is not something where people get a terminal illness and say 'I don't want to do this anymore.'"

The patient must make one written and two verbal requests. They also must be able to take the drug on their own and two doctors must sign off on the paperwork.

"[The doctors] both have to document that they have made this assessment and they will stand behind it with their professional integrity," said Ben Rich, UC Davis Medical Professor.

The law doesn't list a specific drug to prescribe and patients who go through the process can change their mind.

"Roughly one third of the people who obtain the prescription will never use it and yet will say it was still a comfort to them, that they had it," Rich said.

Patients who qualify can fill the prescription whenever they want. For instance, in Brittany Maynard's case, she had the leeway to take the drugs when they were right for her.

California Department of Public Health will maintain the data and have all of the forms available on their website.