History and Organization
Compassion & Choices is the successor to the Hemlock Society, founded by Derek Humphry in 1980; the original group was dedicated to "fighting for voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide to be made legal for terminally and hopelessly ill adults." Two choice-in-dying rights organizations emerged from the Hemlock Society, and were merged in 2005: Compassion in Dying and End-of-Life Choices The organization changed its name, according to Humphry, for reasons of "political correctness." Articles of Amendment were filed with the Colorado Secretary of State on October 29, 2004.
Compassion & Choices Action Network is the legislative advocacy arm of Compassion & Choices. The Action Network seeks to pass Oregon-style aid-in-dying legislation throughout the United States; laws that strengthen advance directives; and laws that mandate palliative care training for health care providers.
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