Health Panel to Hold Hearing on Right to Die Measure

A hearing is scheduled for a measure to allow terminally ill Maryland residents to legally end their lives with drugs prescribed by a doctor.

The hearing is set for Friday in the House Health and Government Operations Committee.

The bill would allow mentally capable, terminally ill patients with less than six months to live to obtain prescription drugs they could ingest themselves, if their suffering becomes unbearable.

The measure stalled last year, but supporters have made some changes this year. One change requires a private conference between a doctor and a person who wants the drugs to avoid potential coercion from another person. The bill also directs the health department to keep records about how many people request drugs to end their lives and how many use them.