V.S.A. means Vermont Statutes Annotated
Sec. 1. 18 V.S.A. chapter 113 is added to read:
CHAPTER 113. IMMUNITY FOR DOUBLE EFFECT LETHAL
MEDICATION
§ 5281. TERMINALLY ILL PATIENTS; DOUBLE EFFECT LETHAL
MEDICATION; IMMUNITY FOR PRESCRIBING OR BEING PRESENT
WHEN TAKEN
(a) As used in this section:
(1) “Double effect medication” means medication prescribed to relieve
pain which also may have the effect of hastening death or substantially increasing the
risk of death.
(2) “Terminal condition” means an incurable and irreversible disease
which would, within reasonable medical judgment, result in a death within six
months.
(b) A physician who prescribes a double effect medication to a terminally
ill person, which, if not taken as prescribed would be lethal, shall not be
subject to criminal or civil liability or professional disciplinary action if the
physician warns the person about the effects of taking the medication and the
person selfadministers
the medication and dies as a result.
(c) A person shall not be subject to criminal or civil liability solely for
being present when a person with a terminal condition takes a lethal dose of
medication that has been prescribed by a physician.