DENVER (KDVR) — A coalition of disability and patient advocacy groups is suing the State of Colorado, claiming the state’s medical aid in dying law violates civil rights and puts vulnerable patients at risk.

The federal lawsuit, filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Denver, argues that Colorado’s End of Life Options Act is unconstitutional and discriminates against people with disabilities. It also alleges the law has been applied to individuals who are not terminally ill.

Matt Vallière, executive director of the Institute for Patients’ Rights and one of the plaintiffs, said the law “violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and parts of the U.S. Constitution.”

Plaintiffs pointed to a case involving a 28-year-old woman with anorexia who received a lethal prescription while in hospice care but later recovered. Advocates say her case shows how the law can be misapplied.

“Some people get suicide prevention, other people get suicide help,” Vallière said. “The people who get suicide help are all people with disabilities.”

Disability activist Dawn Russell with ADAPT Denver said the law sends a dangerous message:

“If you don’t have a disability, you get suicide prevention. If you do — they treat you like your life isn’t worth living.”

The lawsuit calls for the law to be struck down or amended to prevent what plaintiffs describe as discriminatory application against disabled or chronically ill patients.

Supporters of the law, however, argue it is narrowly tailored to protect patients’ rights and dignity.

In a statement to FOX31, Kevin Díaz, president and CEO of Compassion & Choices, defended the law, saying:

“The Colorado Medical Aid in Dying law sets forth rigorous safeguards, including the requirement that individuals must have the capacity to make informed health care decisions. Participation is entirely voluntary, and the process remains firmly under the control of the terminally ill person through the mandate of self-administration. Importantly, having a disability alone does not qualify someone for eligibility.”

According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, fewer than 400 people used the law in 2023. The vast majority were in hospice care and had terminal illnesses such as late-stage cancer.

The case has not yet been assigned to a judge. The Colorado Attorney General’s Office is expected to respond on behalf of the state in the coming weeks. Cases like this can take years to resolve in federal court.

FOX31 will continue to follow updates as the lawsuit moves forward.