The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the challenge to the Oregon law from the Bush administration in the Fall session with a decision expected in Spring 2006. The challenge came originally from Attorney General Ashcroft in 2001; three separate courts ruled against him. Gonzales vs Oregon is based on the narrow issue that the prescribing of federally controlled substances to deliberately cause death is not a legitimate use for these drugs. The issue directly affects the current right of the states to control medical practice. Oregon’s aid-in-dying law will remain in effect while the court considers the case.
