Executive Director, Not Dead Yet
ORGANIZATIONAL PLAINTIFF
Ian McIntosh
Ian McIntosh is currently the Executive Director of Not Dead Yet (NDY) since January 2025, following the untimely passing of Not Dead Yet’s (NDY) Founder and President, Diane Coleman. NDY is a national grassroots disability rights group opposed to the legalization of assisted suicide and euthanasia as deadly forms of disability discrimination.
Prior to his time at NDY, Ian served as Director of Disability Outreach at the Patients Rights Action Fund, a national, coalitions-based organization fighting against the legalization of assisted suicide.
As a Canadian with disabilities, Ian has extensive personal experiences at the intersection of disability and healthcare both as a patient/consumer following a significant car accident, as well as a caregiver. In addition to his personal experiences with disability, Ian’s interest in marshaling coalition-based opposition to disability discrimination are informed by his history with union organizing in his native Ontario, Canada.
Ian has been sought out for expert opinion by media and his published works have appeared in the Washington Post as well as The International Journal of Disability, Community, and Rehabilitation among others.
Statement
“Legalizing assisted suicide means a state has decided, as a matter of policy, that certain disabilities, illnesses, and age which often ushers in the former, are something to be addressed through state-sanctioned death,” said Ian McIntosh, Interim Executive Director of Not Dead Yet. “
“Every year, state reports show that people with non-terminal disabilities and medical conditions access assisted suicide. People with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, anorexia, gastrointestinal diseases, and the like received the lethal dose. Rather than continue the decades long policy approach of viewing suicide as a tragedy deserving of society’s incredible intervening resources and efforts to prevent, legalizing assisted suicide instead bifurcates policy into the Haves and Have Nots and deems suicide rational, just because a person has a disability. The Haves get suicide prevention. The Have Nots — people with disabilities – get suicide assistance.”
Ian McIntosh
How do you pronounce your name?
Ian (I like ee, an like in) McIntosh (Mc like mack, in like pin, tosh like posh)