Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada
Life drives its own course along different terrains: a smooth and steady patch of road or a dishevelled and rugged path. Nonetheless, both ways diverge into one end: a dead end. Though every life ceases, its denouement is different. There can either be tranquil endings, or a tragic demise. For those trapped in the arms of chronic pain and sickness, their stories do not have to end with the latter, but can shift towards the former option through physician-assisted suicide.Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada
Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) is the consensual process of ending a person’s life at their request, through the prescription or administration of a substance by a practitioner. Though this procedure might sound horrific, these actions allow people with extreme suffering to die a dignified and peaceful death. In June 2016, Canada joined countries such as the Netherlands and Belgium in the legalization of assisted suicide (Ireland). Being a new addition to the group, Canada’s far behind from the achievements that its brother and sister countries have accomplished. Canada’s journey has only begun. It still has a long way to go before one can see the benefits that the legalization of assisted suicide attains. More than 1, 300 Canadians have ended their lives through Medical Assistance in Dying. Despite this, access to MAID has not been easy, as some communities are lacking physicians and nurse practitioners that are willing to assist them in ending their lives. In addition, health facilities such as Catholic hospitals have the legal right to refuse assisted suicide. This is a growing problem that has caused enormous distress to the patient and family. For them, the government has not truly granted them full access to physician-assisted suicide. Although Canada still faces issues with its current Bill, assisted suicide should not be viewed in a negative light as its legalization facilitates more benefits than losses.
