right-to-die

[rahyt-tuh-dahy]

adjective

1. asserting or advocating the right to refuse extraordinary medical measures to prolong one's life when one is terminally ill or irreversibly comatose.

   right-to-die laws.

Word History and Origins

Origin of right-to-die¹

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

During New York State Senate hearings in Albany over a right-to-die bill, one protestor in a wheelchair is seen carrying a sign reading “Assisted Suicide: The World’s Cheapest Healthcare.”

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As a kind of fulcrum for his storytelling, Mr. Davenport uses Elizabeth Bouvia, who in 1983 became a cause célèbre of the right-to-die movement.

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In the documentary category, “Selena y Los Dinos,” a portrait of the late Tejano superstar Selena Quintanilla, was awarded a special jury prize for archival storytelling, and “Life After” won a special jury award for its thought-provoking investigation of a historic right-to-die case.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

When I first wrote about right-to-die legislation, before California followed Oregon’s lead in 2016, I was a vocal advocate.

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In comas or persistent vegetative states, the conditions that spurred galvanizing right-to-die cases like Karen Ann Quinlan's and Terri Schiavo's, a person may be able to breathe independently, and there will still be some brain function.

Read more on Salon