The “Medical Aid in Dying Act,” otherwise known as physician-assisted suicide, is a proposal that should not be taken lightly. I believe this proposal is not in New Yorkers’ best interest as it currently does not address significant risk factors associated with its passage that could carry unintended and potentially dangerous consequences.

The Medical Aid in Dying Act stipulates two things:

1. A mentally competent, terminally ill adult with a prognosis of six months or less to live may request life-ending medication from their treating physician they can self-administer to cause their death; and
2. Certain protections and immunities are provided to health care providers and other persons, including a physician who prescribes medication to the terminally ill patient to be self-administered in compliance with the provisions of the proposal.

I do understand some of the reasons behind a proposal like this. However, after hearing concerns and personal stories from my colleagues across the aisle in the Assembly Chamber with regard to whether this proposal should pass and also listening carefully to our Floor Leader Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh (R,C-Ballston)’s well-crafted argument pointing out that suicides are on the rise in our state, it is clearly a terrible time to pass this bill. I also believe that we are playing God, and I’ve heard too many stories where a person is diagnosed with a terminal illness by a physician only to outlive the projection by the doctor.

Seeing loved ones in pain as a result of a terminal illness is devastating, and while palliative care has come a long way in recent years, we still have a long way to go to ensure patients’ pain is properly managed and their medical needs are met during the final moments of their lives. It is also important that support services and counseling are provided to families of terminally ill patients to help them care for their loved ones and alleviate some of the fears and anxieties associated with end-of-life care.

While our state works to expand these services to help all New Yorkers with terminal prognoses face their illness with dignity and support, we cannot in good conscience allow proposals like the Medical Aid in Dying Act to move forward. This act would open up too many opportunities for coercion, abuse or even accidental death. Patients could be pressured by family members into choosing this medication over palliative care due to financial challenges, societal expectations or other factors. Elderly or disabled patients who cannot defend themselves could be pressured or even forced into taking this medication by abusive family members, caregivers or others who wish them harm. And while this medication is only available to adults, how can we ensure it never falls into innocent young hands?

Overall, there simply are not enough safeguards in this legislation to protect the public—there is no way to determine whether this medication is taken completely voluntarily in every scenario, there is no way to monitor whether this medication is stored securely to keep it away from children and teens and there is no way to prevent this medication from being ingested accidentally by someone other than the patient it was intended for.

Given these concerns, it is our duty as state lawmakers to act in the best interest of our constituents. As a concerned father and an assemblymember dedicated to safeguarding public health and safety, I respectfully voted “no” on this proposal. There are too many unknowns and what-ifs associated with this proposal, and when it comes to human life, we cannot leave anything to chance.