In late 2024, attorney, medical ethics expert, and VSED advocate Professor Thaddeus Pope gave a virtual talk to the Hemlock Society of San Diego about how dementia patients might be able to utilize medical-aid-in-dying to avoid late stages of their disease. As Professor Pope explains, if the patient were to begin VSED while they still had decisional capacity, supportive clinicians could certify the patient as terminally ill (and therefore potentially eligible for MAiD) within 24-48 hours of stopping eating and drinking.
NOTE: While some individuals have managed to successfully employ this strategy, it isn’t available in Washington State or readily available elsewhere; currently, VSED Resources Northwest does not know of any participating providers.
To watch the recording of Professor Pope’s talk, visit the Hemlock Society of San Diego’s YouTube channel or click on the image below.
