The number of people who received a legal prescription to end their life in Vermont increased substantially in the past two years. That finding comes from a Vermont Department of Health report submitted to the Vermont Legislature last month.
One hundred and ninety people used the Patient Choice process, as it's called by state authorities, between Jul. 1, 2023 and Jun. 30, 2025. A total of 204 people used it in the ten years prior to that period.
The spike is due to a 2023 change in Vermont law, when it became legal for out-of-staters come to Vermont to get a prescription for medical aid in dying.
One hundred and thirty-two Vermont residents, 56 out-of-state residents, and 2 individuals with an unknown state of residence used the program during the last two-year reporting period.
Despite the increase over the past two years, the data doesn't shock people who are familiar with the program. "The numbers that we're seeing are really what were expected when the law was being written," said Amy Bruce, the executive director of Patient Choices Vermont. The organization advocated for medical aid in dying to become law and now educates Vermonters and out-of-staters about it.
Bruce also noted that fewer than 1% of annual deaths in Vermont are through medical aid in dying.
For comparison, 376 people in Oregon died after using medical aid in dying in 2024. Oregon was the first state in the country to establish such a law. It removed its residency requirement and opened up to out-of-staters around the same time as Vermont.
Patient Choices Vermont said that most out-of-staters come from neighboring states. "We're very happy that people can access this care. We believe that people should have a right to all of their end of life options, regardless of where they live," she said.
She also acknowledged the current strain on Vermont's healthcare system. "We have a shortage of providers overall, but we've worked hard to be able to support people in finding physicians that can work with them and finding all of the other pieces they need to be able to come to Vermont and choose medical aid in dying, if that is the best choice for them."
Vermont does not keep track of the number of physicians who prescribe for medical aid in dying. Anecdotally, Bruce said it can be difficult for out-of-staters to find a local doctor. "There's no public list of physicians who are interested in doing this work," she said.
"We know there are physicians that are happy to prescribe for their longtime patients," she went on. "They have relationships with those patients, they understand what's going on with them, but they may not have space in their practice or interest in prescribing for people that they're meeting for the first time."
Broadcast live on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.
