(q)__"Terminal disease" means an incurable and irreversible disease that has been medically confirmed and will, within reasonable medical judgment, produce death within 6 months.

§5-903.__Written request for medication

(a)__A patient who is an adult, is capable, is a resident of this State and is determined by the attending physician and the consulting physician to be suffering from a terminal disease and who has voluntarily expressed the wish to die may make a written request for medication for the purpose of ending that patient's life in a humane and dignified manner in accordance with this Act.

(b)__A valid request for medication under this Act must be in the form described in section 5-921, signed and dated by the patient and witnessed by at least 2 individuals who, in the presence of the patient, attest that to the best of their knowledge and belief the patient is capable, is acting voluntarily and is not coerced to sign the request.

(1)__A witness may not be a person who is:

(i)__A relative of the patient by blood, marriage or adoption;

(ii)__At the time the request is signed, entitled to any portion of the estate of the qualified patient upon that patient's death, under a will or by operation of law; or

(iii)__An owner, operator or employee of a health care facility where the qualified patient is receiving medical treatment or is a resident.

(2)__The patient's attending physician at the time the request is signed may not be a witness.

(3)__If the patient is a resident in a long-term care facility at the time the written request is made, one of the witnesses must be an individual designated by the facility and must have the qualifications specified by the Department of Human Services by a routine technical rule, as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A.