Have You Considered Death? Canadian Doctors Urged To Mention Medically Assisted Dying With Patients

Close-up of the hands of a nurse injecting a medicine for euthanasia to an elderly man in
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Chris Tomlinson

A document for doctors in Canada has suggested that they bring up the topic of euthanasia before their patients do if the patient is eligible and it is “medically relevant.”

The document, which was created by those who provided medically assisted suicide services or MAID (Medical assistance in dying), claims that doctors not only should bring up euthanasia with their patients but that they have an obligation to do so.

The Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers, who produced the document, claims that as long as the doctor is not trying to convince or persuade the patient to end their lives, they can mention MAID for those with disabilities or serious illnesses and there is no restriction on doing so, the National Post newspaper reports.

The document, which was originally published in 2019 but only brought to public attention this week, goes as far as recommending those medical professionals with religious beliefs that contradict euthanasia should “be aware of their professional responsibilities and accountabilities,” and urges such doctors to make a “compromise” on the issue.

“It is possible that this obligation may be in direct conflict with the clinician’s personal values. Clinicians’ general ethical duties include respecting patients’ wishes and, where those aren’t known, acting in accordance with the patients’ values and beliefs, and where those aren’t known, acting in the patients’ best interests, regardless of the clinician’s personal values,” the document goes on to add.

For those who are against euthanasia, the document suggests that they may, instead, mention MAID and then refer the patient to another doctor who could discuss the issue with the patient further as a compromise.

Following the appendix, the document gives scripted scenarios for doctors on how to approach the topic of MAID with patients, including asking probing questions to try and steer the topic toward medically assisted dying.

Since 2019, MAID deaths have become a larger share of the overall number of deaths in Canada, reaching 3.3 per cent of all deaths in 2021. In the provinces of Quebec and British Columbia nearly five per cent of all the deaths recorded last year were people being euthanized.

There has also been controversy over the accessibility of MAID, with the province of Saskatchewan having the option as a main menu option on its 811 healthcare line until it was removed in September.

Last month, broadcaster Global News revealed that many disabled people eligible for MAID were not inquiring about help dying because of pain, but rather because of poverty.

Amir Farsoud, a 54-year-old with a debilitating back injury, stated explicitly he was applying for MAID because he feared becoming homeless. “It’s not my first choice,” Farsoud said and added, “I don’t want to die but I don’t want to be homeless more than I don’t want to die.”

“I know, in my present health condition, I wouldn’t survive it anyway. It wouldn’t be at all dignified waiting, so if that becomes my two options, it’s pretty much a no-brainer,” he added.

 

Follow Chris Tomlinson on Twitter at @TomlinsonCJ or email at ctomlinson(at)breitbart.com.

 

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