Illinois joins growing list of states allowing medical aid in dying

Notably, the practice of allowing a doctor to support terminally ill patients end their lives with medication has been legalized over recent years in a number of countries throughout the world.

Key points

• In the U.S., New York and Illinois lately became the latest of 13 states to join an accelerating pace of legislation with this goal.
• Pope Leo XIV has remarked he's "very disappointed" that his home state of Illinois approved the law that's condemned by the Catholic Church.
• The Associated Press interviewed doctors, faith leaders, legal experts and individuals on both sides of the hotly debated problem.
• The matter remains contested, with opposition by numerous religious groups, lawmakers and disability advocates.

Meanwhile, the matter remains contested, with opposition by numerous religious groups, lawmakers and disability advocates. Although opinions vary throughout different faiths and political lines, polls show that most Americans generally think medical aid in dying is either morally acceptable or not a moral matter.

For context, the Associated Press interviewed doctors, faith leaders, legal experts and individuals on both sides of the hotly debated problem. They included terminally ill patients who spoke before they applied these laws to set the terms of their death. Here are some takeaways from the AP's reporting.

Taken together, the developments around illinois joins growing list of states allowing medical aid in dying point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.