Oregon Public Broadcasting

A study by Oregon Health and Science University finds that assisted suicide does not cause surviving family members to have a sense of rejection or substantial regret. Kristian Foden-Vencil reports.

The study, published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, surveyed 95 people whose loved ones had requested aid in dying.

Their answers were compared with 60 people whose loved ones died from a disease without the option of assisted suicide.

Lead researcher, Linda Ganzini, says the rates of depression and grief were no worse in families whose loved one had asked for aid in dying.

Linda Ganzini: “And in fact, they in some measures did better. They felt more prepared for the death, they were less likely to feel that they needed more time to care for the loved one.”

The study also found that 98 percent of people whose family member had requested aid in dying, would consider assisted suicide for themselves in a similar situation.