This article explores the controversial case, which is now headed to the Supreme Court, of outlawing physician-assisted suicide. The number of Oregonians ending their lives this way has increased since legalization but still remains a tiny fraction of all terminally ill patients. 36% of terminally ill patients who obtain lethal doses of medication under the law never use it. OregonÕs high quality system of palliative care is the factor most responsible for keeping the number of assisted-suicide cases low also, establishing medical & legal safeguards during implementation. (LC) (4 refs)