Patient Rights Patient Advocacy Right to Die and Death With Dignity Organizations By Trisha Torrey facebook twitter linkedin Trisha Torrey is a patient empowerment and advocacy consultant. She has written several books about patient advocacy and how to best navigate the healthcare system. Learn about our editorial process Trisha Torrey Updated on June 05, 2020 Print If you're considering your right to die and death with dignity, there are many organizations you can turn to for education and support. You are not alone in your journey. Most of the organizations focus on two or more of these aspects: Education: Some organizations provide decision-making information and support to patients who have an interest in learning more about their choices. They may also help you learn about ethical arguments both for and against the right to die.How-To: Some organizations help patients learn about how to die, and may even help them make it happen.Civil Rights and the Law: Some of the organizations are more political in nature. They work with both grass-roots organizations and representatives of state and federal governments to pass legislation that either supports or opposes aid in dying. Read more about the legal issues involved in the right to die. Jeff R Clow/Moment/Getty Images 1 Compassion and Choices This organization, formerly known as The Hemlock Society, offers consultations, assistance, and support. They are also involved in legal defense and lobbying efforts to expand right to die legislation in the U.S. and, to a lesser extent, Canada. www.CompassionandChoices.org 2 The Death With Dignity National Center According to the Death with Dignity National Center, "The greatest human freedom is to live, and die, according to one's own desires and beliefs. From advance directives to physician-assisted dying, death with dignity is a movement to provide options for the dying to control their own end-of-life care. Death with Dignity National Center is the leader in this movement, successfully establishing, advancing and defending the landmark Oregon and Washington Death with Dignity Acts." www.DeathwithDignity.org 3 Dignitas Located near Zurich, Switzerland, Dignitas offers counseling and assistance for people who want to understand their death with dignity options, and to help those who have chosen to die to obtain the necessary lethal drugs. They also provide "accompanied suicide." www.dignitas.ch 4 Dying With Dignity Canada Focusing on right-to-die legislation in the provinces, Dying with Dignity provides decision-making support to Canadians who wish to "choose a gentle death." www.DyingwithDignity.ca 5 The Final Exit Network The organization holds that "mentally competent adults who suffer from a terminal illness, intractable physical pain, chronic or progressive physical disabilities, or who face loss of autonomy and selfhood through dementia, have a basic human right to choose to end their lives when they judge their quality of life to be unacceptable." This organization was founded on the book Final Exit by Derek Humphry. www.FinalExitNetwork.org 6 Patients Rights Council This group, which was formerly known as the International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide, opposes right to die legislation because they believe the healthcare industry will promote it to contain costs. "The Patients Rights Council is committed to the principle that you have the right to know all the facts about the critical issues of life, death, and assisted suicide." www.PatientsRightsCouncil.org 7 The Right to Die Society of Canada This society lobbies for right to die legislature in Canada, educates the public, and helps individuals find the right options for themselves. www.RighttoDie.ca 8 Worldwide Lists Organizations that support death with dignity and the right to die can be found through the World Federation of Right to Die Societies. Organizations that are against right to die legislation can be found at Euthanasia.com. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit