Ruan v. United States

At a Glance:

Compassion & Choices filed an amicus brief in the consolidated U.S. Supreme Court cases Ruan v. United States and Kahn v. United States on December 21, 2021. The case concerned whether doctors who improperly prescribe drugs in good faith can be prosecuted under the Controlled Substances Act. Compassion & Choices argued that it is important that controlled substances such as opioids be easily accessible for pain management purposes at the end of life and that doctors are often reluctant to prescribe these drugs for fear of criminal liability.

On June 27, 2022, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the doctors, making it harder for the government to criminally prosecute doctors who prescribe controlled substances at the end of life in good faith. This decision is a positive step in securing access to controlled substances at the end of life, marking a positive outcome for terminally ill people in the United States.