American Academy of Family Physicians Drops Opposition to Medical Aid in Dying

The American Academy of Family Physicians is the national association of family doctors. It is one of the largest national medical organizations, with over 131,000 members.

At its October 2018 House of Delegates meeting, the AAFP approved a substitute resolution offered by the Reference Committee on Health of the Public and Science to adopt a position of "engaged neutrality" toward medical aid in dying as a personal end-of-life decision in the context of the physician-patient relationship.

The AAFP joins a list of other professional associations have dropped their opposition to medical aid in dying and adopted a neutral position: the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Washington Academy of Family Physicians, American Pharmacists Association, Oncology Nursing Association, California Medical Association, California Hospice and Palliative Care Association, Colorado Medical Society, Maine Medical Association, Maryland State Medical Society, Massachusetts Medical Society, Medical Society of the District of Columbia, Minnesota Medical Association, Missouri Hospice & Palliative Care Association, Nevada State Medical Association, Oregon Medical Association, Vermont Medical Society, Hospice and Palliative Care Council of Vermont, Washington Academy of Family Physicians, and Washington State Psychological Association.

In addition, medical groups increasingly endorse medical aid in dying, including: the American College of Legal Medicine, American Medical Student Association, American Medical Women’s Association, American Nurses Association of California, American Public Health Association, GLMA: Healthcare Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality, and New York State Academy of Family Physicians.