The End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act (SB 9 and HB 1328) "authorizes a qualified patient with a terminal disease to request that a physician prescribe aid-in-dying medication that will allow the patient to end the patient's life in a peaceful manner."
Barbara Lyons of the Patients Rights Action Fund (PRAF) recently told American Family Radio the bill's proponents want Illinois to be a springboard into other midwestern states.
She assured program hosts that "the whole bill is bad," but one of its worst aspects is there are just a few days between making the request and getting lethal drugs. Also, there is no requirement that a medical professional be present when the prescription is taken.
"Once the prescription is written, a greedy heir or a tired caregiver could pick up the prescription – or it can actually in Illinois be delivered right to your home," Lyons posed. "Essentially, without asking the patient, they could put the lethal drugs in the patient's food without their consent."
The act supposedly aims to protect people with mental conditions by saying that cannot be a patient's sole reason for ending his or her life, but Lyons pointed out there is no requirement that someone undergo a psych evaluation before getting a prescription for life-ending drugs.
At least one hearing on SB 9 was held last month in Chicago, and Lyons expects another hearing in the Senate and a hearing in the House, though she is not sure when those will take place.
The good news, she said, is proponents expected to ram the bill through in Illinois, but "they've been having trouble getting traction."
Still, it will be live for two years, so organizations like PRAF and the Illinois Family Institute will remain on alert.
