PIVOTAL EVENTS IN THE RIGHT-TO-DIE MOVEMENT

• Roper Poll shows that 58% of Americans favor legalizing physician-aid-in-dying.

• Supreme Court rules that patients have the right to refuse medical treatment. Based on Nancy Cruzan case.

• June 4, Dr. Jack Kevorkian assists Janet Adkins. This is the first patient Dr. Kevorkian assists in this way.

• Roper Poll shows 63% of Americans favor legalizing physician-aid-in-dying.

• Dr. Jack Kevorkian assists two people in ending their lives.

• In the state of Washington, voters defeat an initiative to legalize physician-aid-in-dying by a narrow margin of 54% to 46%. Initiative 119 failed by fewer than 100,000 votes out of 1.3 million votes cast.

• The book Final Exit is on New York Times best-seller list for 18 weeks.

• New England Journal of Medicine carries an article by Timothy Quill, M.D. in which he admits helping a terminally ill patient end her life. A grand jury decides not to indict him.

• Patient Self-Determination Act takes effect. This federal law requires nursing homes, hospitals, home health agencies, hospices and HMO's to provide patients with information on state laws governing advance directives and a statement of their own policies on implementing these rights.

• In the state of California, voters defeat Proposition 161, an initiative to legalize physician- aid-in-dying, by a narrow margin of 54% to 46%. Dr. Jack Kevorkian assists five people in ending their lives.

• Dr. Jack Kevorkian assists twelve people in ending their lives.

• Harris Poll shows 73% of Americans favor laws legalizing physician-aid-in-dying.

• Washington state court case declares a state ban on assisted suicide unconstitutional. Case being appealed.

• In New York, physicians and terminally ill patients bring lawsuit that challenges that state's ban on assisted suicide. Court refuses to nullify ban.

• Nov. 8, 1994 - Oregon passes first physician-aid-in-dying law in the world (52%-48%). Goes into effect Dec. 8, 1994.

• Dec. 7, 1994 - A temporary restraining order is placed on Oregon's law.

States where physician-assisted death legislation is expected to be introduced:

Colorado
Connecticut
Hawaii
Maryland
New Hampshire
Wisconsin