The Annals of Medical Assistance in Dying
Authors: Catherine Frazee, Harvey Max Chochinov
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2016)

Ideas and Opinions15 November 2016The Annals of Medical Assistance in DyingCatherine Frazee, DLitt, LLD and Harvey Max Chochinov, MD, PhDCatherine Frazee, DLitt, LLDSearch for more papers by this author and Harvey Max Chochinov, MD, PhDSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M16-1685 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail In the annals of assisted death, 2016 was Canada's watershed year. On 17 June, a new law permitting the practice of euthanasia and assisted suicide, or medical assistance in dying (MAID), received royal assent. The advent of this law concluded an intense process of inquiry and debate in the maelstroms of parliament and public opinion.Among the handful of nations that permit any form of euthanasia or assisted suicide, Canada had a unique catalyst for initiation of a controversial policy shift: a firm decision in February 2015 by the Supreme Court of Canada (1) that overturned a legal precedent established ...References1. Carter v. Canada (Attorney General), [2015] 1 S.C.R. 331, 2015 SCC 5 (Can). Google Scholar2. Parliament of Canada Special Joint Committee on Physician-Assisted Dying. Evidence: Wednesday, 27 January 2016. 2016. (Statement of Jeff Blackmer.) Accessed at www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=e&Mode=1&Parl=42&Ses=1&DocId=8075735 on 31 August 2016. Google Scholar3. Government of Canada. Information about medical assistance in dying. 2016. Accessed at http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/health-system-systeme-sante/services/palliative-pallatifs/medical-assistance-dying-aide-medicale-mourir-eng.php#a on 31 August 2016. Google Scholar4. Physicians require clear direction to provide medical assistance in dying [press release]. Ottawa, ON, Canada: Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada; 19 May 2016. Accessed at http://fmrac.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/FMRAC-Media-Release-re-Bill-C-14.pdf on 31 August 2016. Google Scholar5. An Act to Amend the Criminal Code and to Make Related Amendments to Other Acts (Medical Assistance in Dying), S.C., s 10 (2016) (Can). Accessed at www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&DocId=8384014 on 31 August 2016. Google Scholar6. Parliament of Canada Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. Evidence: 2 May 2016. (Statement of Jane Philpott.) Accessed at www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=e&Mode=1&Parl=42&Ses=1&DocId=8225950 on 31 August 2016. Google Scholar7. Parliament of Canada. Debates of the Senate. 1 June 2016. (Statement of Jane Philpott.) Accessed at www.parl.gc.ca/Content/Sen/Chamber/421/Debates/041db_2016-06-01-e.htm on 31 August 2016. Google Scholar8. British Columbia Civil Liberties Association. Lamb v. Canada: the Death with Dignity case continues. 2016. Accessed at https://bccla.org/our-work/blog/lamb on 31 August 2016. Google Scholar9. Statement from the College of Physicians and Surgeons—professional obligations and human rights [press release]. Toronto, ON, Canada: The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario; 24 March 2015. Accessed at www.cpso.on.ca/Whatsnew/News-Releases/2015/Statement-from-the-CPSO-Professional-Obligations-a on 31 August 2016. Google Scholar10. Canadian Medical Association. Principles-based recommendations for a Canadian approach to assisted dying. 2015. Accessed at www.cma.ca/Assets/assets-library/document/en/advocacy/cma-framework_assisted-dying_approved-by-board_oct2015.pdf on 29 July 2016. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Note: Catherine Frazee is a Professor Emerita in Disability Studies at Ryerson University. She is a former member of the External Panel on Options for a Legislative Response to Carter v. Canada and was an expert witness for the Canadian federal government in Carter v. Canada.Harvey Max Chochinov is a Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Manitoba. He is the former Chair of the External Panel on Options for a Legislative Response to Carter v. Canada and was an expert witness for the Canadian federal government in Carter v. Canada.Disclosures: Profs. Chochinov and Frazee appeared as expert witnesses for the Canadian federal government in Carter v. Canada, were authors of the External Panel on Options for a Legislative Response to Carter v. Canada, and are advisors to the Vulnerable Persons Standard. Disclosures can also be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M16-1685.Corresponding Author: Catherine Frazee, DLitt, LLD, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada.Current Author Addresses: Dr. Frazee: Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada.Dr. Chochinov: University of Manitoba, 3017-675 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0V9, Canada.Author Contributions: Conception and design: C. Frazee, H.M. Chochinov.Analysis and interpretation of the data: C. Frazee, H.M. Chochinov.Drafting of the article: C. Frazee, H.M. Chochinov.Final approval of the article: C. Frazee, H.M. Chochinov.This article was published at www.annals.org on 27 September 2016. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoA Call for a Patient-Centered Response to Legalized Assisted Dying John Frye and Stuart J. Youngner Metrics Cited byAssistierter Suizid – MAiD in KanadaMedical Assistance in Dying: Patients', Families', and Health Care Providers' Perspectives on Access and Care Delivery 15 November 2016Volume 165, Issue 10Page: 731-732KeywordsDisclosureEuthanasiaInformation storage and retrievalLegislationMedical conditionsMedical lawPatient advocacyPublic policySuicideSurgeons ePublished: 27 September 2016 Issue Published: 15 November 2016 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2016 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...