A group of experts responsible for advising the Trudeau government on ways in which death medical assistance can be offered to people suffering from mental illness will conduct assessments to determine that each applicant is suffering is intolerable and irreversible.
Examiners must establish to the claimant that the illness, condition, disability or decreased performance is causing ongoing and unbearable physical or psychological suffering.will we read among the 19 recommendations made in a report made public on Friday by the Minister of Health, Jean-Yves Duclos, and his colleague in Justice, David Lametti.
Ottawa expanded access to death medical assistance (MAID) in March 2021 to comply with a judgment that fell short of the standard of reasonably foreseeable death.
The new version of the federal law on the subject, C-7, provides for the exclusion of people whose only medically demanding problem is a mental illness. This exception should end in March 2023, however, and the experts who signed the report published on Friday included their suggestions for expanded access to come.
MAID evaluators should establish irreversibility by identifying intervention attempts designed to improve functioning, including: recognized rehabilitative and supportive measures undertaken to date, outcomes of these interventions and duration of decline.they write.
The authors argue that it is not possible to set a certain number of attempts and that analyzes should be made. case to case.
” The group is of the opinion that the applicant and examiners should have a common understanding that the person is in an advanced state of irreversible decline in capacity. “
It should also be shown that the MA’s request comes from a well-considered decision outside of a moment of crisis, it is recommended.
Examiners must ensure that the claimant’s willingness to die is consistent with human values and beliefs, not vague and reasonably considered during the period of stability.can we read
Ministers Duclos and Lametti said in a press release that they would review in detail the recommendations made.
Their colleague Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Mental Health, made sure she wanted to ensure that the government moves forward with MAID for people with mental illness in a manner consistent with the goals of autonomy, equality and respect.
Source: Radio-Canada