Expert guidance for death on your own terms.
I'm Dr. Claritza Ríos, a palliative care and hospice physician offering medical aid in dying across the Bay Area.
I help people who are dying, and the people who love them, navigate the end of life with clarity, dignity, and real support.
This is a safe, unhurried place to understand your choices.
Whoever you are, there's a place to start.
Patients & families
Understand medical aid in dying and how I can help.
Clinicians
Refer a patient, and stay as involved as you choose.
Speaking & education
Talks and classes on end-of-life care, palliative medicine, and medical aid in dying.
What medical aid in dying is.
Medical aid in dying is a legal option in California that lets a terminally ill adult, who still has decision-making capacity, choose to end their life peacefully on their own terms.
You stay in control at every step — including whether to take the medication at all. Many people who qualify and receive it never do; simply having the option brings enormous relief.
My job isn't to decide anything for you. It's to make sure you understand your options, that your symptoms are cared for, and that you and the people around you feel safe and seen.
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You're the expert in your life. I bring the medical experience — and we do this together.
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I say the word death, plainly and without apology. It comes from respect, not coldness.
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A good death is something a whole family remembers. I care for the people around you as well.
“Dr Rios, helped honor my mother’s wishes. She had as beautiful a death as someone can have when you have an aggressive cancer and we were able to prepare for it. I don’t wish what she went through to anyone but if you are in need of an expert Dr Rios is your person.”
— JM
“I want to tell you how grateful I am that you were there to help me through this difficult transition. My father died in peace. He did not have any tubes or machines that he was so adamant that he didn't want. Thank you for facilitating his wishes and helping me deal with a difficult family member. I feel that with your assistance, he had the death with dignity that he desired.”
— TM
“Dr Rios was a blessing in our lives. We appreciate all the care she took in the care of my dad. ”
— KB
On Dying
Reaching out doesn't commit you to anything.
However you found me — facing this yourself, caring for someone, or a colleague looking for help — I'd be glad to hear from you.