Thirty years ago this month (July 1990), President George H.W. Bush signed a rare bipartisan law that stillimpacts the lives of all Americans: the American Disabilities Act (ADA). For example, the ADA required curb cuts so wheelchair users could cross streets independently also benefit bicyclists and parents pushing strollers.

I am a public health physician living with both colon cancer and multiple sclerosis, so I greatly appreciate the benefits of the ADA. Unfortunately,as a result ofmy colon cancer, I can too easily imagine that my final days may bring great suffering. If that suffering becomes unbearable, I hope that I will be able to choose froma full range of care options, and I hope that such a choice will be available to all people in that situation.

Thatswhy I support legislation in 20 states nationwide that would authorize mentally capable, terminally ill adults to have the option to get prescription medication to peacefully end their suffering if it becomes intolerable. The states that have considered medical aid-in-dying bills during their 2019-2020 legislation sessions include:Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Utah,andVirginia.

Bothnational and state pollsshow voters across our country support medical aid in dying. AGallup Poll Social Surveyconducted in May showed that 74 percent ofU.S. residents agree that: When a person has a disease that cannot be cureddoctors should be allowed by law to end the patients life by some painless means if the patient and his or her family request it? Majority support included every demographic group measured in the survey: gender, ethnicity, age, education, and political party affiliation (if any), ranging from conservatives to liberals.

While there are no national polls of people with disabilities on this issue, Purple Insights conducted surveys in 2013 and 2014 showing that voters with disabilities inConnecticut,Massachusetts, andNew Jerseysupported medical aid in dying by 63 to 74 percent, very similar to the support level of voters overall in those states of 62 to 71 percent. Finally, a 2018Medscape surveyshowed that 58 percent of doctors nationwide saidthat physician-assisted dying should be made legal for terminally ill patients.

Medical aid in dying has been authorized in Washington, D.C., and nine states, starting more than two decades ago with Oregon in 1997, without one documented case of misuse.

In fact,Disability Rights Oregons (DRO)Executive Director confirmed in a letter last year that:

DRO has never to my knowledge received a complaint that a person with disabilities was coerced or being coerced to make use of the [Oregon Death with Dignity] Act.

In addition, according to a 2007Journal of Medical Ethicsreportabout this Oregon law:

Rates of assisted dying in Oregon...showed no evidence of heightened risk for the elderly, women, the uninsured...people with low educational status, the poor, the physically disabled or chronically ill, minors, people with psychiatric illnesses including depression, or racial or ethnic minorities, compared with background populations.

The purpose of the American Disabilities Act: is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else, according to theAmerican Disabilities Act National Network. Medical aid-in-dying legislation honors this historic laws mission, by providing people with disabilities the same autonomy and freedom as everyone else to make our own healthcare decisions at lifes inevitable end.

While medical science can seemingly work miracles, we need to remember that the thing most people want at the end of life is NOT one more try at immortality, but rather a peaceful death surrounded by loved ones.

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Mary Applegate, MD, MPH is a clinical professor at the University of Albany School of Public Health.

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People With Disabilities Want Same Peaceful Dying Option as Anyone Else - Thirty years ago this month (July 1990) President George H.W. Bush signed a...