Provider Assisted Death by Prescription (PAD-P) describes a provider prescribing a lethal medication to a competent, terminally ill patient who self-ingests it for the purpose of hastening death. In the U.S., this practice is legal in some states and often labeled Medical Aid in Dying (MAID), Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS), or Physician-Assisted Death/Dying (PAD), terms that can be controversial, confusing, and/or euphemistic. For the purposes of clarity, the term PAD-P is used in Fast Facts #525 and #526. Providers should be prepared to discuss the topic of PAD-P knowledgeably, regardless of personal views. Part I of the series discusses state law commonalities, eligibility criteria, epidemiology, patient demographics, and reasons for PAD-P requests specific to the U.S. Part II continues with a review of ethical, clinical, and practical considerations of PAD-P.
Links: Part I – Fast Facts #525 (01/2026) and Part II – Fast Facts #526 (01/2026)
