Portland, Oregon- Prescriptions for life-ending medications under Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act (DWDA) increased between 2023 and 2024, while the number of deaths from ingesting those medications declined, according to new data from the Oregon Health Authority (OHA).
OHA’s 27th annual report on the DWDA showed that prescriptions for lethal medications increased by 8.2%, rising from 561 in 2023 to 607 in 2024. However, the number of deaths resulting from the ingestion of these medications dropped by approximately 2.6%, from 386 to 376.
The 2024 data reflect a shift from 2023, when prescriptions increased by about 29%, driven largely by a legislative amendment that removed Oregon’s residency requirement for DWDA participation. Deaths from ingestion of DWDA medications increased by about 20% in 2023.
In 2024, 23 recipients of DWDA prescriptions (4%) lived outside Oregon, down from 29 (5%) in 2023.
“What we’re seeing is, perhaps, a cooling of the heightened interest and participation in the DWDA that occurred when patients were no longer required to be Oregon residents to receive medical aid in dying,” said Tom Jeanne, M.D., M.P.H., deputy state health officer and epidemiologist.
Jeanne noted that participant demographics have remained stable over time. “Characteristics of participants have remained generally consistent with previous years,” he said.
Despite the rise in DWDA prescriptions during 2023, the report’s findings are consistent with long-term trends. Physician-assisted deaths continue to account for a small percentage of the estimated 44,000 annual deaths in Oregon.
As in previous years, most DWDA participants were 65 or older (83%) and white (92%). The most common underlying health condition was cancer (57%), followed by neurological disease (15%) and heart disease (11%).
OHA reported that no prescribing physicians were referred to the Oregon Medical Board in 2024 for failure to comply with DWDA reporting requirements.
Other Key Findings for 2024:
• Prescriptions for lethal medications were written by 135 different physicians.
• Just over half of DWDA patients were male (53%).
• Nearly half of participants had a bachelor’s degree or higher (45%).
• Most patients (83%) died at home, and most (92%) were enrolled in hospice care.
• All patients for whom insurance status was known had health coverage. The percentage with private insurance increased from 21% in 2023 to 23% in 2024, while those with Medicare or Medicaid decreased from 79% to 77%.
• The three most frequently reported end-of-life concerns were loss of autonomy (89%), decreasing ability to participate in enjoyable activities (88%), and loss of dignity (64%).
OHA is legally required to collect data on compliance with the Death with Dignity Act and publish an annual report on its findings.
Source: OHA
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