A bunch supporting medical aid-in-dying sued Colorado on Thursday, alleging the state’s ban on helping out-of-state residents in ending their lives violates the U.S. Structure.
Compassion & Decisions filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court docket in Denver on behalf of a Minnesota resident with stage 4 most cancers and two Colorado physicians who prescribe aid-in-dying treatment: Dr. Barbara Morris, of Golden, and Dr. Jennifer Harbert, of Creede.
The group argues that the legislation’s requirement {that a} affected person have to be a Colorado resident to entry medical aid-in-dying unconstitutionally limits interstate commerce, and denies individuals from different states the identical rights because the state’s personal residents.
“Because the legislation is at present written, I can’t present the identical medical care that I deem acceptable to non-Colorado residents,” Harbert mentioned in a information launch asserting the lawsuit. “I’m merely saying that each one the sufferers I deal with in Colorado ought to have entry to the identical care.”
The Colorado Lawyer Normal’s Workplace declined to touch upon the lawsuit.
A invoice within the Colorado legislature in 2024 would have allowed out-of-state residents to entry medical aid-in-dying, and shortened the ready interval to obtain deadly treatment from 15 days to 2 days. The model that handed took out the availability opening this system to non-residents, and included a seven-day ready interval.
Jeff McComas, the Minnesota resident, mentioned within the lawsuit that he nonetheless is present process chemotherapy and doesn’t wish to die now, however needs to have the choice sooner or later. Minnesota doesn’t permit medical aid-in-dying.
“It is very important Mr. McComas that he keep management of his medical selections throughout the whole course of his end-of-life remedy, which incorporates medical selections surrounding his dying,” the lawsuit mentioned. “Mr. McComas needs to direct and management his end-of-life care in order that he can die peacefully surrounded by his household.”
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