Year: 2003 Source: New England Journal of Medicine, v.348, no.10, (March 2003), p.961-964 SIEC No: 20040052

The authors analyzed data from Oregon physician reports on patients for whom a lethal medication is written, interviews with physician, & death certificates. As part of a follow-up to previous reports, patients who died in 2002 after ingesting prescribed lethal medications are characterized & trends in the numbers of prescriptions written are evaluated. Despite increases, it is found that the number of terminally ill Oregon residents using physician-assisted suicide remains small relative to the overall number of deaths. (5 refs)