Medically assisted dying

Question 1

name the case that lead to medically assisted dying and bill that was passed as a result

Answer 1

carter vs Canada 2015
June 2016 bill C-14 was enacted which legalized medically assisted dying for adults whose death was reasonably foreseeable.

Question 2

define euthanasia

Answer 2

at the patient’s voluntary request a practitioner administers a medication that causes the patient’s death

Question 3

define practitioner-assisted suicide

Answer 3

at patient’s request practitioner prescribes or provides a medication that the patient can self administer to cause their own death.

Question 4

list the substantive criteria that qualify a person as a candidate for medical assistance in dying?

Answer 4

1. 18 or older and capable of making health decisions
2. having a grievous and irremediable medical condition (serious incurable illness, disease or disability, being in an advanced state of irreversible decline, enduring, intolerable physical or psychological suffering, with natural death being reasonably foreseeable
3. making voluntary request for MAID
4. being capable of giving informed consent (after being informed of other means to relieve suffering)

Question 5

list the procedural due care criteria

Answer 5

designed as safeguards to ensure substantive criteria are met

1. hold opinion that person meets all of the criteria
2. ensure request for MAID is made in writing and witnessed (after diagnosed with incurable condition)
3. ensure person knows that a request for MAID can be withdrawn at any point
4. a second independent practitioner must confirm in writing that all criteria are met.
5. 10 clear days waiting period between date of signed MAID request and MAID provision
6. Offer patient opportunity to withdraw request before proceeding immediately before MAID is provided

Question 6

only 2 countries in which MAID is legal for infants and children

Answer 6

Netherlands

Belgium

Question 7

How should one approach an MAID request by or on behalf of children and youth in Canada

Answer 7

respect the views of the family and patient
find out what needs are currently not being met and how these can be fulfilled
consider consulting palliative care

Question 8

What percentage of pediatricians would actually provide MAID in canada if it were legal for children

Answer 8

only 19%, need to balance needs of patients with needs of providers to decline to provide this service
if refusing need to offer service from someone who agrees to provide it, as with other ethically ambiguous things (contraception, abortion)

Question 9

List 4 recommendations from CPS regarding medically assisted dying

Answer 9

1. advocate for health systems to improve access to palliative care
2. evaluate and learn from current MAID policies for adults
3. if legalized for children neeed to develop policies and procedures to safeguared young people from risks associated with this, and procedures for assessing capacity
4. physician’s right not to participate in MAID must be respected, provided they refer requesting families appropriately