« Go Back   « Go Back
Summary of Question 2
This proposed law would allow a physician licensed in Massachusetts to prescribe medication, at a terminally ill patient's request, to end that patient's life. To qualify, a patient would have to be an adult resident who (1) is medically determined to be mentally capable of making and communicating health care decisions; (2) has been diagnosed by attending and consulting physicians as having an incurable, irreversible disease that will, within reasonable medical judgment, cause death within six months; and (3) voluntarily expresses a wish to die and has made an informed decision. The proposed law states that the patient would ingest the medicine in order to cause death in a humane and dignified manner. The proposed law would require the patient, directly or through a person familiar with the patient's manner of communicating, to orally communicate to a physician on two occasions, 15 days apart, the patient's request for the medication. At the time of the second request, the physician would have to offer the patient an opportunity to rescind the request. The patient would also have to sign a standard form, in the presence of two witnesses, one of whom is not a relative, a beneficiary of the patient's estate, or an owner, operator, or employee of a health care facility where the patient receives treatment or lives. The proposed law would require the attending physician to: (1) determine if the patient is qualified; (2) inform the patient of his or her medical diagnosis and prognosis, the potential risks and probable result of ingesting the medication, and the feasible alternatives, including comfort care, hospice care and pain control; (3) refer the patient to a consulting physician for a diagnosis and prognosis regarding the patient's disease, and confirmation in writing that the patient is capable, acting voluntarily, and making an informed decision; (4) refer the patient for psychiatric or psychological consultation if the physician believes the patient may have a disorder causing impaired judgment; (5) recommend that the patient notify next of kin of the patient's intention; (6) recommend that the patient have another person present when the patient ingests the medicine and to not take it in a public place; (7) inform the patient that he or she may rescind the request at any time; (8) write the prescription when the requirements of the law are met, including verifying that the patient is making an informed decision; and (9) arrange for the medicine to be dispensed directly to the patient, or the patient's agent, but not by mail or courier. The proposed law would make it punishable by imprisonment and/or fines, for anyone to (1) coerce a patient to request medication, (2) forge a request, or (3) conceal a rescission of a request. The proposed law would not authorize ending a patient's life by lethal injection, active euthanasia, or mercy killing. The death certificate would list the underlying terminal disease as the cause of death. Participation under the proposed law would be voluntary. An unwilling health care provider could prohibit or sanction another health care provider for participating while on the premises of, or while acting as an employee of or contractor for, the unwilling provider. The proposed law states that no person would be civilly or criminally liable or subject to professional discipline for actions that comply with the law, including actions taken in good faith that substantially comply. It also states that it should not be interpreted to lower the applicable standard of care for any health care provider. A person's decision to make or rescind a request could not be restricted by will or contract made on or after January 1, 2013, and could not be considered in issuing, or setting the rates for, insurance policies or annuities. Also, the proposed law would require the attending physician to report each case in which life-ending medication is dispensed to the state Department of Public Health. The Department would provide public access to statistical data compiled from the reports. The proposed law states that if any of its parts was held invalid, the other parts would stay in effect.

2012 - Middlesex County - Question 2Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken by the Senate or the House of Representatives on or before May 1, 2012?

View as: # | %

Middlesex County Results
« Return to Aggregate Results

 
City/Town Ward Pct Blanks Total Votes Cast
Totals
378,931
338,692
39,757 757,380
Acton More »
 
6,985
4,710
327
12,022
Arlington More »
 
14,545
10,699
1,009
26,253
Ashby
 
934
864
45
1,843
Ashland More »
 
4,424
3,890
261
8,575
Ayer More »
 
1,745
1,787
136
3,668
Bedford More »
 
4,180
3,244
295
7,719
Belmont More »
 
7,775
5,898
717
14,390
Billerica More »
 
8,988
10,686
572
20,246
Boxborough
 
1,672
1,198
95
2,965
Burlington More »
 
5,504
7,392
512
13,408
Cambridge More »
 
31,962
14,930
3,857
50,749
Carlisle
 
2,098
1,176
100
3,374
Chelmsford More »
 
8,887
10,134
643
19,664
Concord More »
 
6,600
4,044
411
11,055
Dracut More »
 
6,143
8,371
805
15,319
Dunstable
 
1,030
816
55
1,901
Everett More »
 
4,542
7,360
1,339
13,241
Framingham More »
 
13,216
13,082
1,765
28,063
Groton More »
 
3,428
2,546
388
6,362
Holliston More »
 
4,057
4,025
254
8,336
Hopkinton More »
 
4,464
3,964
275
8,703
Hudson More »
 
4,774
4,965
341
10,080
Lexington More »
 
10,865
6,711
863
18,439
Lincoln More »
 
2,382
1,239
129
3,750
Littleton More »
 
2,903
2,391
147
5,441
Lowell More »
 
12,540
17,057
4,629
34,226
Malden More »
 
8,438
10,865
1,902
21,205
Marlborough More »
 
7,782
8,175
864
16,821
Maynard More »
 
3,051
2,578
188
5,817
Medford More »
 
12,733
13,557
1,652
27,942
Melrose More »
 
7,327
7,608
701
15,636
Natick More »
 
9,864
8,475
525
18,864
Newton More »
 
26,849
15,893
2,459
45,201
N. Reading More »
 
3,799
4,742
263
8,804
Pepperell More »
 
3,273
3,068
187
6,528
Reading More »
 
6,660
7,380
408
14,448
Sherborn
 
1,587
1,027
75
2,689
Shirley
 
1,577
1,478
91
3,146
Somerville More »
 
21,453
11,971
2,066
35,490
Stoneham More »
 
5,250
6,763
512
12,525
Stow More »
 
2,358
1,748
182
4,288
Sudbury More »
 
6,077
4,262
340
10,679
Tewksbury More »
 
7,055
8,634
570
16,259
Townsend More »
 
2,478
2,294
184
4,956
Tyngsborough More »
 
2,909
3,166
260
6,335
Wakefield More »
 
6,158
7,759
702
14,619
Waltham More »
 
11,345
12,361
1,695
25,401
Watertown More »
 
8,831
7,088
944
16,863
Wayland More »
 
4,948
3,059
303
8,310
Westford More »
 
6,451
6,168
357
12,976
Weston More »
 
3,930
2,507
283
6,720
Wilmington More »
 
5,572
6,563
468
12,603
Winchester More »
 
6,588
5,835
554
12,977
Woburn More »
 
7,945
10,489
1,052
19,486
County Totals
378,931
338,692
39,757 757,380