Canada has released its first nationally accredited training program in medical assistance in dying (MAiD) aimed at licensed physicians and nurse practitioners.
Canada has released its first nationally accredited training program in medical assistance in dying (MAiD) aimed at licensed physicians and nurse practitioners. This follows concerns about the rising prevalence of MAiD in certain regions and its recommendation for “mature minors.”
The
curriculum was developed by the Canadian Association of MAiD Assessors and Providers (CAMAP), Health Canada said in a Sept. 13
press release.
CAMAP is a B.C.-based NGO
established in 2016 after the
federal MAiD legislation was enacted that year. The organization said on its website that it was created to address the need to “establish training resources, to create medical standards, and to encourage the standardization of care across the country.”
The curriculum is
accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the College of Family Physicians of Canada. It consists of eight
topics, including the procedures for conducting a MAID assessment and dealing with MAiD for individuals with mental disorders.
The government announced plans in March this year to delay MAiD eligibility for one year, until March 17, 2024, for people whose only medical condition is a
mental illness. Health Canada said in its press release that the curriculum is a crucial step for all levels of government in preparing for that date when those individuals will be eligible for MAiD.
Opponents of medical assisted suicide have raised concerns, particularly regarding the recommendation for patients who are solely suffering from mental illness and for minors.
In December 2022, the
Canadian Association of Chairs of Psychiatry, representing the leading psychiatrists from Canada’s 17 medical schools, had urged the federal government to postpone expanding eligibility to people solely suffering from a mental illness, saying more time was needed to ensure certain standards are in place.
Canada subsequently
introduced Bill C-39 in February 2023 to extend the temporary exclusion of MAiD eligibility for these individuals, and the bill was passed in March.
Mature Minors
Opponents of the expansion of MAiD eligibility have also raised concerns about a
report from the House of Commons
Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying. The report, released in February, included 23 recommendations, one of which suggests providing assisted suicide to “mature minors” who are approaching a foreseeable natural death.
The report noted that the committee had heard “a mix of views” on whether MAiD should be made available to those under 18. It recommended that the government establish a requirement that, “where appropriate, the parents or guardians of a mature minor be consulted in the assessment process for MAiD.” However, it added that “the will of a minor who is found to have the requisite decision-making capacity ultimately takes priority.”
Additionally, the report recommended that within five years, the government undertake consultations with minors on the topic of MAiD and complete research to understand the views and experiences of minors with respect to MAiD, including minors with terminal illnesses, those with disabilities, those in the child welfare system, and indigenous minors.
In
a previous interview with The Epoch Times, Mike Schouten, director of advocacy with the Association for Reformed Political Action, said the current legislation doesn’t protect vulnerable individuals.
“In seven years, Canada has gone from suicide being illegal, to one of the most expansive regimes in the world [offering physician-assisted suicide],” he said.
Dr. Michel Bureau, head of Quebec’s commission on end-of-life care, has raised concerns about the increasing prevalence of MAiD in Quebec. In an interview with The Canadian Press, he emphasized that in 2023, an estimated 7 percent of all deaths in the province are expected to result from the procedure.
Isaac Teo, Marnie Cathcart, and Peter Wilson contributed to this report
