We think there are a lot of well-intentioned people here. Most of them have the best of intentions, but they refuse to stop and think about the implications of the policies they are pursuing.

Hundreds of patients, ethicists and medical providers attended the World Federation Conference in downtown Chicago to voice support for physician-assisted suicide, also known as “death with dignity.” The conference, made up of 49 right-to-die organizations from around the world, also drew numerous protestors from religious and disability rights groups.

Hosted by the non-profit Final Exit Network, the event aimed to encourage grassroots organization to support “death with dignity” laws and change attitudes.

“We believe that legislation does not go far enough. We believe that it is the right of every competent adult, suffering from severe, intractable illnesses which have deprived them of quality of life, to choose to hasten their death,” said Janis Landis, vice president of Final Exit Network, in a statement to Life Matters Media.

They would dictate to me how much pain and suffering I have to endure at the end of my life. They want to limit my right to choose.

Proponents of “death with dignity” legislation say such laws increase patient freedom at the end of life, because the seriously ill can avoid suffering and die on their own terms. In Oregon, the first state to legalize physician-assisted suicide, terminally ill adults may self-administer a prescribed lethal dose of barbiturates.

But some disability advocates, medical providers and religious organizations argue physician- assisted suicide is unnecessary and endangers the most vulnerable patients. The American Medical Association, the nation’s largest organization of doctors and medical students, does not support it.

Adam Vallard, a member of Not Dead Yet – a national disability rights group opposing all forms of aid in dying legislation – said he worries doctors could pressure disabled patients to end their lives early.

“There is this movement of right-to-die advocates who are not making distinctions between allowing someone to die with dignity and steering someone to assisted suicide. We see this as a larger trend in our society to devalue lives that are costly,” Vallard said. “We think there are a lot of well-intentioned people here. Most of them have the best of intentions, but they refuse to stop and think about the implications of the policies they are pursuing.”

Other protestors held signs, wore skeleton masks and chanted. Some conference attendees said they were told to avoid them. Many reported being instructed to avoid conversation out of fear of inciting violence.

Ken Leonard, a board member of the Hemlock Society of Illinois, called the protestors “religious extremists” and misinformed.

“Most of them are there because they believe it is God telling them to do so,” Leonard said. “They would dictate to me how much pain and suffering I have to endure at the end of my life. They want to limit my right to choose.”

Kathryn Tucker, executive director of the Disability Rights Legal Center and former legal counsel to Compassion & Choices, one of the nation’s leading advocacy groups for the legalization of physician-assisted suicide, said she works to ensure disabled Americans receive the care they want at the end of life.

“Dying these days has become a long, arduous journey,” Tucker said in her presentation. “Choices will expand, aid in dying will become increasingly available, we will see more clinical practice guidelines and more evidence that the process is becoming normalized.”

Physician-assisted suicide is legal in five states: Oregon, Washington, Vermont, Montana and Hawaii.