Medical Aid in Dying is available in Washington, DC to patients who meet ALL of the following criteria:

• DC resident

• Adult over 18 years old

• Making the request voluntarily and free from coercion

• Mentally competent

• Able to make informed decisions about their own healthcare and be capable of communicating those decisions verbally and in writing

• Diagnosed with a terminal illness

• Has received a prognosis of six months or less to live

• Able to self-administer the medication

It is important to discuss all of your options for end of life with your medical team, including your primary care doctor, specialists, hospice or palliative care physician. There are many end of life options including treatment, hospice care, palliative sedation, Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking (VSED) and more. Make sure you understand all your options for comfort care and treatment.

While all Medical Doctors and Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine licensed in Washington, DC are allowed to prescribe the lethal medications for Medical Aid in Dying, not all physicians choose to participate. Further, if your doctors are only licensed in Maryland or Virginia, they cannot participate in Medical Aid in Dying. If you cannot find a participating prescriber, we can provide those resources to you.

It is important for you to have support throughout this process. Talk to your loved ones and caregivers about your wishes. Expect that some family members may not agree with your decision. We can help you to find an End of Life Doula and/or caregivers to help provide additional support.

We very strongly recommend that you enroll in hospice care. Hospice can be a huge benefit to the patient, their loved ones and caregivers. Hospice can support the patient in their own home during their final days physically, emotionally and spiritually. Hospice also offers bereavement services for the family after your death. We can help you to find a hospice that is amenable to Medical Aid in Dying.

You will have 3 appointments with 2 doctors throughout this process. The doctors will each independently confirm that you meet the eligibility criteria.

​

First Verbal Request

You will have the first appointment with the Attending Physician (the Attending Physician is the physician who prescribes the medication). At this appointment you will make your first verbal request for assistance with Medical Aid in Dying. At this time, the Attending Physician will confirm that you meet the eligibility criteria.

​

Written Request

Between your first and second verbal request, you will make a written request for assistance with Medical Aid in Dying. This form is used for the written request: REQUEST FOR MEDICATION TO END MY LIFE IN A HUMANE AND PEACEFUL MANNER. This form will need to be witnessed by two people. One witness can be anyone the patient chooses other than the Attending Physician. The second witness cannot be the Attending Physician, nor a relative by blood, marriage, or adoption; nor a recipient of your estate; nor an owner, operator, or employee of the health care facility where the patient is receiving treatment or is a resident. This form will be given to the Attending Physician.

​

Appointment with the Consulting Physician

​At some point after the first verbal request to the Attending Physician and after the written request has been received by the Attending Physician, the Attending Physician will refer you to a Consulting Physician. You will have an appointment with the Consulting Physician, who will confirm that you meet the eligibility criteria.

​

Second Verbal Request

​The second verbal request is to be made to the same Attending Physician at an appointment at least 15 days after the first verbal request. At this time the Attending Physician will confirm that you still meet the eligibility criteria.

The Attending Physician will send the prescription to the pharmacy. The prescription will not be covered by insurance and will need to be paid for before it is filled. This can be done over the phone with a credit card. You, or a person whom you have designated ahead of time, will pick up the medication when you have determined you are ready to use it. The medication will be in powder form and must be stored in a safe, secure location. You will also receive a prescription for an anti-nausea medicine at this time.

It is important to have filled out a DC Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment (DC MOST) form. This form can be found here: DC MOST. This form should be given to your physicians and loved ones and copies kept at home on the fridge and above the bed.

​

Further, you should have a plan with a funeral home and have told your loved ones your wishes for after death care.

Ingestion of the medication is generally not allowed in a medical facility, nor is it allowed in a public place. As such, you should choose someplace that is private and comfortable, such as your home. The medicine must be ingested within the city limits of DC.

​

It is recommended to have an experienced medical professional and/or an End of Life Doula with you at the time of ingestion. An experienced person knows the process, can provide education on what is happening and can be a comfort and calming presence for you and your loved ones. We can help you to find support people for the day of ingestion if you need them.

​

You will take an anti-nausea medication 45 minutes to an hour prior to ingesting the medication.

At this point, this will be your last opportunity to change your mind about utilizing Medical Aid in Dying to end your life.

The lethal medication will be mixed with 3-4 ounces of a liquid (usually apple juice or water) that you will drink. If need be, a medical professional can assist with setting up the medication to be dispensed through a feeding tube or by a rectal catheter. You will need to dispense the medication by pushing a plunger on a rectal catheter or feeding tube or by holding a cup and drinking the medication from a straw.

​

Once the lethal medication is ingested, a patient falls asleep within a short time period and should be unaware of any sensations within their bodies or in the environment. After sleep, the body will fall into a coma. Most people die within 2 hours, though there have been much longer periods before death. The time to death is dependent upon a number of factors, including but not limited to the method of ingestion, the terminal illness and the overall health of the individual. (Kaan, 2025)