The startling reality of assisted dying has been laid bare in a new documentary which shows the final hours of one terminally ill woman in America.
Set to be aired on ITV tonight, it follows Jessica Lantz, 43, who lived with terminal dermatomyositis, a rare autoimmune disease affecting the skin and muscles.
Diagnosed a decade ago, the incurable condition ended her career as a social worker caused her body to ‘waste away’.
She made the decision to end her own life by purchasing medications that are legally available for the purpose in her home city of Portland, Oregon.
The poignant film, which is bound to spark debate, follows Ms Lantz during her final 47 hours—and fulfilling her final wish, to ‘fall asleep’ with her best friend Wendy, while watching their favourite film, Beaches.
It will also examine how legislation on assisted dying in Oregon differs to the one now proposed for England and Wales, which is now making its way through parliament.
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill argues for the right for patients with less than six months to live to seek an assisted death in England.
Amendments to the bill are currently being made, with a third reading expected from late April.
Jessica Lantz from Portland in Oregon was diagnosed with terminal dermatomyositis a decade ago, a rare autoimmune disease affecting the skin and muscles — ending her career as a social worker and slowing wasting away her body
Asked about her death itself, she told ITV News UK editor Paul Brand (left) that the toxic medication, stored in a brown glass container, was delivered by her pharmacy weeks ago but she had kept it in a locked box
The 43-year-old was legally able to access the drugs in her home state of Oregon, where assisted dying has been available for almost 30 years
Speaking before her death, Ms Lantz said she opted for assisted dying given her terminal diagnosis has meant she won’t ‘live much beyond February at all’.
‘My kidneys will shut down, I’ll have a major heart attack or stroke, or I just won’t be able to breathe, or I’ll starve to death,’ she said.
‘You can feel yourself dying, not just the pain or the things you associate with being sick, but you can feel your body dying.
‘It’s terminal, so there’s no real argument. It’s just, do you want to see me in a coma or not?’
She also showed the medication that would kill her, stored in a brown glass container, stating how it was delivered by her pharmacy weeks ago but she had kept it in a locked box.
‘I have to drink all of that in less than two minutes. The medications will stop my heart, stop respiratory, shut down organs. But first, it puts you to sleep,’ she said.
She also said she planned to take a sedative and anti-nausea pill an hour before she mixes the powder medication with two ounces (56 grams) of apple juice.
In Oregon, two independent doctors must approve an application for an assisted death.
In the ITV documentary, Ms Lantz, who already takes 26 palliative medicines, explained she opted for assisted dying given her terminal diagnosis has meant she won’t ‘live much beyond February at all’
She also said she planned to take a sedative and anti-nausea pill an hour before she mixes the powder medication with two ounces (56 grams) of apple juice
The patient must have a terminal diagnosis with less than six months left to live.
The law has remained relatively unchanged in the state since it was legalised in 1997, aside from recently permitting people to travel from outside the state to access assisted deaths in the state.
Figures show that in 2023, 367 people had an assisted death, up from the 304 reported in 2022.
Since 1997, a total of 2,847 people have died in Oregon from ingesting medications prescribed under the Death With Dignity Act.
Later, filming Ms Lantz at 10:40am on February 12 — her chosen day of death — she told the ITV documentary she had already taken the pill that will prevent her from vomiting up the main medication.
Asked how she was feeling, she said she had no second thoughts or doubts, but simply that it was ‘overwhelming and sad’.
Having agreed not to film her final moments, her best friend Wendy — who travelled to be with Ms Lantz during her final days — contacted ITV a day later informing them she passed away at 2:15pm on February 12, one month short of her 44th birthday.
‘She drank it and did fall asleep pretty quickly,’ Wendy said.
Later, filming Ms Lantz at 10:40am on February 12 — her chosen day of death — she told the ITV documentary she had already taken the pill that will prevent her from vomiting up the main medication
‘She slept very peacefully the whole time. It took about three hours. It went just the way she would have wanted it to go.’
The eye-opening ITV report comes as the UK is seeking to make assisted dying legal.
In November, the House of Commons approved the second reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.
But while the bill passed its second reading, assisted dying in England is not a certainty.
In total, 235 Labour MPs supported the Bill alongside 23 Tories, 61 Liberal Democrats, and three Reform UK MPs.
This compared to 147 Labour MPs who opposed the Bill alongside 93 Tories, 11 Lib Dems, and two Reform UK MPs – including party leader Nigel Farage.
The Bill includes a number of stipulations regarding who would be able to seek assistance with ending their life, and how they could do so.
First, two independent doctors must confirm that the patient fits the following criteria.
In November, the House of Commons approved the second reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. But while the bill passed its second reading, assisted dying in England is not a certainty
In total, 236 Labour MPs supported the Bill alongside 23 Tories, 61 Liberal Democrats, and three Reform UK MPs
Kim Leadbeater told fellow MPs that her Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will give people ‘choice, autonomy and dignity at the end of their lives’
They must be over 18, live in England and Wales, and have been registered with a GP for the last year.
They must be deemed to have mental capacity to make the choice to end their own life and not have been pressured into doing so by others.
A medical team must also have calculated they have a bleak prognosis of less than six months.
The patient must also make two separate declarations of their wish to die to ensure the decision has been adequately considered.
If the medics feel the patient is eligible, the case is referred to a High Court judge who makes the ultimate call.
At least two weeks after a positive ruling, a patient is permitted to take their own life with the help of a doctor.
But concerns have been raised that ‘gaps’ in the legislation would put vulnerable patients at risk of ill-thought-out decisions.
UK: For help and support, call the Samaritans for free from a UK phone, completely anonymously, on 116 123 or go to samaritans.org.
US: If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.
- ‘My Life, My Choice – Tonight’ will air on ITV1 and ITVX on March 6 at 8:30pm
