Final Exit Network

Ensuring Death with Dignity

Our Guiding Principles

We hold that mentally competent adults who suffer from a fatal or irreversible physical illness, from intractable physical pain, or from a constellation of chronic, progressive physical disabilities have a basic human right to choose to end their lives when they judge the quality of their life to be unacceptable.

This right by its nature implies that the ending of one’s life is one’s choice, including the timing and persons present, and should be free of any restrictions by the law, clergy, medical profession, and even friends and relatives no matter how well-intentioned.  We do not encourage anyone to end their life,  are opposed to anyone’s encouraging another to end his life,  do not provide the means to do so, and do not  assist in a person’s death.

Our Mission

• To work toward obtaining the basic human right of competent adults to choose to end their lives on their own terms when they suffer from irreversible physical illness, intractable pain, or a constellation of chronic, progressive physical disabilities.
• To raise the awareness of all Americans concerning this basic human right.
• To offer free service to all who qualify, providing relevant information, home visits if possible and a compassionate presence for individual and family.
• To promote the use of advance directives and other related legal instruments to document the intentions of any individual.
• To sponsor research into new peaceful and reliable methods to end life.
• To vigorously defend our guiding principles in a court of law when necessary.