Editor’s Note: Do you live on Staten Island and are you in favor of or against medical assistance in dying? Are you suffering from a terminal illness? Send an email to [email protected] to reach this reporter.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. For a number of years, advocates have been working to get medical aid in dying legislation passed in New York state.
When will it eventually pass in 2025? Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, a state senator from Staten Island, certainly hopes so.
Scarcella-Spanton, the measure’s primary co-sponsor, is certain that the proposed bill will be reintroduced in the upcoming January session.
Mentally competent, terminally ill people over the age of 18 would have the option to self-administer prescription life-ending drugs under New York’s proposal, officially known as the Medical Aid in Dying Act. One New Jersey physician with experience giving the prescription in the Garden State previously told Advance/SILive.com that the medication, which is a combination of five medications recommended by the Academy of Medical Aid in Dying Physicians, causes patients to fall asleep before their hearts eventually stop.
Medical help in dying would only be available to people with terminal illnesses and disorders that have been medically diagnosed and who have less than six months to live. There is no list of qualifying medical conditions, and a person would not be eligible based only on their age or disability. If approved, healthcare providers could choose not to take part in the process without worrying about facing consequences.
In Albany, medical aid in dying proponents wearing yellow shirts, Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, and Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal watch while Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton speaks. Scarcella-Spanton, the bill’s co-prime sponsor, has been frustrated by the lack of M.A.i.D. progress in New York. Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton provided the image.Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, Sen.
Former Staten Island state senator Diane Savino, a Democrat, initially presented the bill in 2015. During the 2015–2016 legislative session, Amy Paulin, a Democrat from Westchester County, also introduced the issue in the Assembly. It was sparked by the well-publicized 2014 passing of Brittany Maynard, a woman in her 20s who also battled cancer.
Since then, it has failed in each session, including the most recent one that concluded in June.
A look back
The Advance/SILive.com began a series examining the contentious proposal in April 2024. Ayla Eilert’s narrative opened the series.In 2021, Eilert, then 24 years old, received a diagnosis of tongue squamous cell cancer. The Manhattan resident had surgery six days later to remove half of her tongue, which was then replaced with 22 lymph nodes and a portion of her thigh. She passed away less than seven months later. Since then, her parents, Daren and Amy Eilert, have grown to be strong supporters of New York’s legislation.
Gina Luongo of Staten Island, who was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, told Advance/SILive.com that she wanted the option but wasn’t committed to seeking medical assistance in dying if it became legal.
Brian Moffett, a longtime resident of Staten Island, is pictured on Wednesday, July 5, 2024, at his upstate home in Bethel, New York, where he suffers from ALS. Jason Paderon/Staten Island AdvancePaderon, Jason
After exhibiting symptoms for a few years, Brian Moffett, a longtime resident of Staten Island, received an official diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, in the spring of 2024. In May, he informed Advance/SILive.com that he wished to be the first person in the state of New York to lawfully use medical assistance in dying. Knowing that he would not live to witness the next legislative session and that he would not be able to depart away with dignity, Moffett denounced New York lawmakers when the proposal failed to pass yet again.
To address his declining health and to urge New York politicians to enact the Medical Aid in Dying Act, Moffetti invited Advance/SILive.com to his Bethel, New York, home in July.Jake, Moffett’s son, wrote his father’s obituary after he passed away less than two weeks later.
Since then, Jake Moffett has come out in favor of the bill, urging the New York State Legislature and Governor Kathy Hochul to pass it in his father’s memory.
Readers were inspired to support the proposal by the Advance/SILive.com coverage along the route.
Among them were Robert Moffit (no connection to Brian Moffett), who advocated for access to medical assistance in dying, and Brian Kateman, who urged lawmakers to permit the choice for a more merciful conclusion. Early in 2024, Moffit received a diagnosis of ALS and was given a two to five year prognosis.
Scarcella-Spanton made an appearance on Dr. Phil Primetime with Dr. Phil McGrawt on Merit Street Network in late September to urge New Yorkers and all Americans to support medical assistance in dying.
In the past, she told Advance/SILive.com, “People support it, and we just need to get more people to understand this is not something controversial.”
More on New York’s proposed Medical Aid in Dying Act
-
Staten Island senator appears on Dr. Phil show, advocates for medical aid in dying
-
My dad died in fear. It didn t have to be that way (opinion)
-
Brian Moffett founding member of Westerleigh Folk Festival, dedicated father and friend, and medical aid in dying advocate dies at 66
-
Longtime Staten Islander Brian Moffett, medical aid in dying proponent with ALS, dies at 66
-
In his own words: New York man with ALS, given 2-5 years to live, wants right to die
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!
+ There are no comments
Add yours