Until then, Americans will continue to be "used and abused" virtually every time we seek treatment from someone sworn to uphold the Hippocratic Oath.

Advocates for the disabled say they fear people will be steered to premature death, and medical professionals say it violates the Hippocratic oath.

But Ms. Cheh said helping terminally ill patients end their lives is consistent with the Hippocratic oath’s maxim instructing physicians to abstain from doing harm.