In an important pronouncement, four respected NC physicians argued in an open letter in the NC Medical Journal that Medical Aid in Dying is currently available in North Carolina, subject to application of the appropriate medical standard of care. The four physicians, Dr Haider Warraich, Dr Adithi Sethi-Brown, Dr John Carbone and Dr Beth Rosenberg, examined the legal landscape across America and the current legal situation in NC as outlined by Atty Kathryn Tucker in a recent UNC Law Reivew article. They conclude:
“In light of the legal analysis of North Carolina law, we feel confident that Aid In Dying can be provided to patients who request it. The medical community can respond supportively and compassionately to a final act of autonomy by patients who are confronted by a dying process which they find unbearable despite best palliative efforts.”
The endorsement by four pillars of the NC medical community in the wisdom, compassion and medical imperative of providing a MAID prescription to a terminally ill, mentally competent and freely acting patient is further evidence that NC is rapidly moving to join the 8 other uS jurisdictions where this procedure is available.
Edmund Tiryakian
Ed Tiryakian, J.D., MBA, founded Dying Right NC in 2015 and is its Executive Director. He previously worked in international banking in Asia before retiring to his native NC.He believes End of Life issues are one of society’s most pressing challenges as we all live longer and the medicalization of the dying process continues to conflict with the individual’s right to choose his or her end.
