You want to introduce fundamental change to a controversial practice during a pandemic? Bill C-7 will become law while every healthcare organization in the country is swamped by the worst crisis in living memory.
For my Mom, palliative care and MAiD unfolded gracefully together. My family’s experience is one among many that might prompt Canada’s palliative care organizations to reconsider their relationship to MAiD
Three years post legislation, it is time to reflect on whether the 10-day waiting period is an effective mechanism for confirming that a wish is enduring.
Since most MAiD requests stem from concerns over autonomy and control, we must ask ourselves if supporting the expansion of MAiD for a few justifies exposing an ever-increasing number of vulnerable patients to its irreversible harms.
In relying on our judicial system to decide who has the right to access MAiD as a means to relieve intolerable suffering, we are delaying important decisions on how to deliver high-quality end-of-life care to all Canadians.
Depression biases a person’s outlook, but bias is not the same as mental incompetence. Doctors must balance protecting patients in vulnerable mental states from exercising poor judgment against respecting their autonomy.
The government of Ontario’s decision to protect faith-based institutions makes a lot of sense. It is now up to government to ensure that all those in need have access to medically assisted death.
The Ontario government is demonstrating it will privilege the interests of faith-based healthcare institutions at the expense of patients who, by definition, are experiencing enduring and intolerable suffering.
Now that MAiD has been implemented, more attention is being paid to the emotional impact it will have on healthcare professionals who perform it. Based on the evidence from other jurisdictions, it can have profound effect.