NEW YORK’S MEDICAL AID IN DYING LAW TAKES EFFECT, ALLOWING TERMINALLY ILL PATIENTS TO REQUEST LIFE-ENDING MEDICATION. (PHOTO).

 New York’s medical aid in dying law takes effect, allowing terminally ill patients to request life-ending medication

New York's Medical Aid in Dying Act, known as MAID, took effect Wednesday, making the state the 13th jurisdiction in the country to allow certain terminally ill patients to obtain medication to end their lives. Access may vary depending on individual hospitals and health care providers as they establish policies for implementing the new law.

Under the law, mentally capable adults who have a terminal illness and a prognosis of six months or less may request medication to end their lives. Patients must be able to take the medication themselves, ensuring the decision is voluntary and deliberate. Physicians and hospitals are not required to participate, and state health officials are still developing guidance for providers. State officials say the law includes additional safeguards intended to protect patients from being pressured or exploited.

The law has drawn opposition from religious and disability rights advocates, who argue that it could put vulnerable people at risk. Supporters say individuals facing terminal illnesses should have the ability to make their own decisions about the end of their lives and that religious beliefs should not prevent others from accessing the law.

New York's law is largely modeled after Oregon's medical aid in dying system, which became the first such law in the nation in 1994. Similar laws in other states have evolved over time, with some expanding eligibility, allowing nurse practitioners and other advanced practice providers to participate, eliminating residency requirements and reducing waiting periods.

In New York, patients generally face a five-day waiting period between approval and receiving the medication.

The law has also faced legal challenges. One lawsuit brought by disability rights advocates was recently dismissed after a federal judge ruled that the plaintiffs lacked standing and denied their request to block the law. A separate lawsuit was filed by several Catholic religious orders and health care ministries, which argue that the law violates their religious freedoms by requiring them to participate in practices that conflict with their beliefs.