Medical Assistance in Dying
September 27, 2018
The second feature discussion is on Medical Assistance in Dying - as of June 17, 2016, doctors and nurse practitioners are able to provide medical assistance in dying without facing criminal consequences, so long as they comply with the federal legislation and all applicable provincial and territorial laws, rules and policies.
As time progresses, more and more questions are arising and the answers are still evolving.
CBC’s White Coat Black Art Podcast Series
http://www.cbc.ca/listen/shows/white-coat-black-art/episode/15510130
The Federal government’s website, specifically for Medical Assistance is Dying
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/medical-assistance-dying.html#a3
The BC Provincial Page
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/home-community-care/care-options-and-cost/end-of-life-care/medical-assistance-in-dying
Vancouver Coastal Health’s page dedicated to Medical Assistance in Dying services
http://www.vch.ca/public-health/health-topics-a-z/topics/medical-assistance-in-dying
Health Canada Announces regulations for monitoring assisted dying
http://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/assisted_dying_monitoring_rules
More Contextual information
In February 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in Carter v. Canada that parts of the Criminal Code would need to change to satisfy the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The parts that prohibited medical assistance in dying would no longer be valid. The Supreme Court gave the government until June 6, 2016, to create a new law.
Now, the federal government has passed legislation that allows eligible Canadian adults to request medical assistance in dying.
Under the new law, doctors and Nurse practitioners may provide medical assistance in dying to capable, consenting adults who have a grievous and irremediable medical condition that causes enduring, intolerable suffering and who are at a point where natural death is reasonably foreseeable.
What is medical assistance in dying?
Medical assistance in dying (MAiD) occurs when an authorized health care provider provides or administers medication that intentionally brings about a person’s death, at that person’s request. This procedure is only available to eligible patients.
Who is eligible for medical assistance in dying?
According to legislation governing medical assistance in dying in Canada, in order for a doctor to provide a person with assistance to die, the person must meet all of the following criteria:
Grievous and irremediable medical condition
To be considered as having a grievous and irremediable medical condition, you must meet all of the following criteria. You must:
September 27, 2018
The second feature discussion is on Medical Assistance in Dying - as of June 17, 2016, doctors and nurse practitioners are able to provide medical assistance in dying without facing criminal consequences, so long as they comply with the federal legislation and all applicable provincial and territorial laws, rules and policies.
As time progresses, more and more questions are arising and the answers are still evolving.
- Is Canada meeting the needs of those requesting medication assistance in dying?
- Is the age of eligibility too high?
- What about mental illness?
CBC’s White Coat Black Art Podcast Series
http://www.cbc.ca/listen/shows/white-coat-black-art/episode/15510130
The Federal government’s website, specifically for Medical Assistance is Dying
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/medical-assistance-dying.html#a3
The BC Provincial Page
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/home-community-care/care-options-and-cost/end-of-life-care/medical-assistance-in-dying
Vancouver Coastal Health’s page dedicated to Medical Assistance in Dying services
http://www.vch.ca/public-health/health-topics-a-z/topics/medical-assistance-in-dying
Health Canada Announces regulations for monitoring assisted dying
http://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/assisted_dying_monitoring_rules
More Contextual information
In February 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in Carter v. Canada that parts of the Criminal Code would need to change to satisfy the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The parts that prohibited medical assistance in dying would no longer be valid. The Supreme Court gave the government until June 6, 2016, to create a new law.
Now, the federal government has passed legislation that allows eligible Canadian adults to request medical assistance in dying.
Under the new law, doctors and Nurse practitioners may provide medical assistance in dying to capable, consenting adults who have a grievous and irremediable medical condition that causes enduring, intolerable suffering and who are at a point where natural death is reasonably foreseeable.
What is medical assistance in dying?
Medical assistance in dying (MAiD) occurs when an authorized health care provider provides or administers medication that intentionally brings about a person’s death, at that person’s request. This procedure is only available to eligible patients.
Who is eligible for medical assistance in dying?
According to legislation governing medical assistance in dying in Canada, in order for a doctor to provide a person with assistance to die, the person must meet all of the following criteria:
- Be eligible for health services funded by the federal or provincial government
- Be at least 18 years old and mentally capable
- Have a grievous and irremediable medical condition (serious illness, disease or disability)
- Be in an advanced state of decline that cannot be reversed
- Be suffering unbearably from your illness, disease, disability or state of decline
- Be at a point where your natural death has become reasonably foreseeable, which takes into account all of your medical circumstances
- Make the request for medical assistance in dying without outside pressure or influence, and provide informed consent
Grievous and irremediable medical condition
To be considered as having a grievous and irremediable medical condition, you must meet all of the following criteria. You must:
- have a serious illness, disease or disability
- be in an advanced state of decline that cannot be reversed
- experience unbearable physical or mental suffering from your illness, disease, disability or state of decline that cannot be relieved under conditions that you consider acceptable
- be at a point where your natural death has become reasonably foreseeable
- this takes into account all of your medical circumstances and does not require a specific prognosis as to how long you have left to live
Legalization of Medical Cannabis
February 22, 2018
The first feature discussion is on recreational cannabis being legalized in Canada by July 2018. While the federal legislation proposed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government will regulate cannabis production, the details of who can sell it and who can buy it will be largely left up to the country’s provinces. As time progresses, more and more questions are arising and the answers are still evolving.
The Government of BC report captures key decisions made in BC:
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2017PSSG0077-002017
The Government of BC discussion paper on the issue specific to the province:
https://engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/217/2017/09/Cannabis-Legalization-and-Regulation-in-BC_Discussion-Paper.pdf
The Council of the Federation report discusses the current national landscape:
http://www.canadaspremiers.ca/report-cannabis-legalization-regulation/
Podcast:
CBC Sunday Edition with Michael Enright- The rush to legalize marijuana is a risk to public health, says drug policy expert
http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thesundayedition/the-sunday-edition-january-7-2018-1.4474395/the-rush-to-legalize-marijuana-is-a-risk-to-public-health-says-drug-policy-expert-1.4474408
February 22, 2018
The first feature discussion is on recreational cannabis being legalized in Canada by July 2018. While the federal legislation proposed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government will regulate cannabis production, the details of who can sell it and who can buy it will be largely left up to the country’s provinces. As time progresses, more and more questions are arising and the answers are still evolving.
- How will Canada and individual provinces model the cannabis industry?
- What are the highs and lows of the Cannabis Act?
- How will cannabis impact British Columbia economically, culturally and politically?
The Government of BC report captures key decisions made in BC:
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2017PSSG0077-002017
The Government of BC discussion paper on the issue specific to the province:
https://engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/217/2017/09/Cannabis-Legalization-and-Regulation-in-BC_Discussion-Paper.pdf
The Council of the Federation report discusses the current national landscape:
http://www.canadaspremiers.ca/report-cannabis-legalization-regulation/
Podcast:
CBC Sunday Edition with Michael Enright- The rush to legalize marijuana is a risk to public health, says drug policy expert
http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thesundayedition/the-sunday-edition-january-7-2018-1.4474395/the-rush-to-legalize-marijuana-is-a-risk-to-public-health-says-drug-policy-expert-1.4474408