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Lyon C. Canada's Medical Assistance in Dying System can Enable Healthcare Serial Killing. HEC Forum 2024:10.1007/s10730-024-09528-3. [PMID: 39093520 DOI: 10.1007/s10730-024-09528-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
The Canadian approach to assisted dying, Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), as of early 2024, is assessed for its ability to protect patients from criminal healthcare serial killing (HSK) to evaluate the strength of its safeguards. MAiD occurs through euthanasia or self-administered assisted suicide (EAS) and is legal or considered in many countries and jurisdictions. Clinicians involved in HSK typically target patients with the same clinical features as MAiD-eligible patients. They may draw on similar rationales, e.g., to end perceived patient suffering and provide pleasure for the clinician. HSK can remain undetected or unconfirmed for considerable periods owing to a lack of staff background checks, poor surveillance and oversight, and a failure by authorities to act on concerns from colleagues, patients, or witnesses. The Canadian MAiD system, effectively euthanasia-based, has similar features with added opportunities for killing afforded by clinicians' exemption from criminal culpability for homicide and assisted suicide offences amid broad patient eligibility criteria. An assessment of the Canadian model offers insights for enhancing safeguards and detecting abuses in there and other jurisdictions with or considering legal EAS. Short of an unlikely recriminalization of EAS, better clinical safeguarding measures, standards, vetting and training of those involved in MAiD, and a radical restructuring of its oversight and delivery can help mitigate the possibility of abuses in a system mandated to accommodate homicidal clinicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Lyon
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
- Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
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Trouton K. Integration of medical assistance in dying into family practice. CANADIAN FAMILY PHYSICIAN MEDECIN DE FAMILLE CANADIEN 2024; 70:512-515. [PMID: 39122437 PMCID: PMC11328710 DOI: 10.46747/cfp.700708512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Konia Trouton
- Clinical Lecturer in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto in Ontario and is President and Co-founder of the Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers
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Trouton K. Intégration de l’aide médicale à mourir dans les pratiques de médecine de famille. CANADIAN FAMILY PHYSICIAN MEDECIN DE FAMILLE CANADIEN 2024; 70:e110-e113. [PMID: 39122426 PMCID: PMC11328723 DOI: 10.46747/cfp.700708e110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Konia Trouton
- Professeure d'enseignement clinique au Département de médecine familiale et communautaire de l'Université de Toronto (Ontario) et présidente et cofondatrice de l'Association canadienne des évaluateurs et prestataires de l'AMM
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Xu H, Stjernswärd S, Glasdam S, Fu C. Circumstances affecting patients' euthanasia or medically assisted suicide decisions from the perspectives of patients, relatives, and healthcare professionals: A qualitative systematic review. DEATH STUDIES 2023; 48:326-351. [PMID: 37390123 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2023.2228730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to explore circumstances affecting patients' euthanasia and medically assisted suicide (MAS) decisions from the perspectives of patients, relatives, and healthcare professionals. A qualitative systematic review was performed following PRISMA recommendations. The review protocol is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022303034). Literature searches were conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Complete, Eric, PsycInfo, and citation pearl search in Scopus from 2012 to 2022. In total, 6840 publications were initially retrieved. The analysis included a descriptive numerical summary analysis and a qualitative thematic analysis of 27 publications, resulting in two main themes-Contexts and factors influencing actions and interactions, and Finding support while dealing with resistance in euthanasia and MAS decisions-and related sub-themes. The results illuminated the dynamics in (inter)actions between patients and involved parties that might both impede and facilitate patients' decisions related to euthanasia/MAS, potentially influencing patients' decision-making experiences, and the roles and experiences of involved parties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxuan Xu
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Sigrid Stjernswärd
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Stinne Glasdam
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Cong Fu
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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Rivest J, Rouly G, Brouillette MJ, Nguyen O, Desbeaumes Jodoin V. Improving Palliative Care and Medical Assistance in Dying Practice in Canada: How Patients-Partners Could Contribute to Continuing Medical Education. Palliat Med Rep 2023; 4:116-119. [PMID: 37095864 PMCID: PMC10122257 DOI: 10.1089/pmr.2023.0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) is still considered an evolving practice in Canada. Practitioners are facing the challenge of staying up to date and hence need efficient continuing medical education (CME). A patient-partner has been recently invited as a keynote speaker to CME activities in Canada to share her perspectives and views about patient engagement in palliative care and MAiD practice, calling for compassion. To our knowledge, few data exist on patient-partners' contribution to CME on these topics. Based on that experience, we discuss different issues on patient engagement's contribution in such CME events and call for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacynthe Rivest
- Department of Psychiatry, Centre Hospitalier de l'Universite de Montreal (CHUM) and Centre de Recherche du CHUM (CRCHUM), Montreal, Québec, Canada
- Address correspondence to: Jacynthe Rivest, MD, MA(Ed), FRCPC, Department of Psychiatry, Centre Hospitalier de l'Universite de Montreal (CHUM) and Centre de Recherche du CHUM (CRCHUM), 1051 rue Sanguinet, Montreal, Québec H2X 0C1, Canada.
| | - Ghislaine Rouly
- Centre of Excellence on Partnership with Patients and the Public, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Marie-Josée Brouillette
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Chronic Viral Illness Service, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Olivia Nguyen
- Palliative Care Division, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Véronique Desbeaumes Jodoin
- Department of Psychiatry, Centre Hospitalier de l'Universite de Montreal (CHUM) and Centre de Recherche du CHUM (CRCHUM), Montreal, Québec, Canada
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Kőmüves S. Palliative Care and Physician Assisted Death. ETHICS IN PROGRESS 2022. [DOI: 10.14746/eip.2022.2.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In the recent decade quite a few countries and regions legalised physician assisted death. While palliative care is already or becoming the standard end of life care in many countries, the increased availability of physician assisted death coupled with the secularisation of hospice in more settings require – where this has not happened yet – a clear response of palliative care specialists to patients’ requests for physician assisted death. The paper analyses the World Health Organisation’s current description of palliative care with a special focus on its prohibition of hastening death. Some palliative care professionals do not agree with the ban on hastening death, and these professionals’ non-conventional interpretation of palliative care actually seems to meet the wishes of some patients.
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Variath C, Peter E, Cranley L, Godkin D. Experiences of healthcare providers with eligible patients' loss of decision-making capacity while awaiting medical assistance in dying. Palliat Care Soc Pract 2022; 16:26323524221128839. [PMID: 36268274 PMCID: PMC9577066 DOI: 10.1177/26323524221128839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In Canada, under Bill C-14, patients who met all eligibility requirements were prevented from accessing medical assistance in dying (MAiD) following their loss of decision-making capacity while awaiting MAiD. The changes introduced with Bill C-7 continue to limit access to patients who did not enter a waiver of final consent agreement with their healthcare providers. Little is known about the experiences with patients' loss of capacity to consent and subsequent ineligibility for MAiD. Understanding healthcare providers' experiences has important implications for improving end-of-life care for those with capacity-limiting conditions. Purpose To explore Canadian healthcare providers' experiences with end-of-life of eligible patients who became ineligible for MAiD due to their loss of decision-making capacity to consent and the relational influences on their experiences prior to the implementation of Bill C-7 in Canada. Method A critical qualitative methodology and a feminist ethics theoretical lens guided this study. A voice-centred relational approach that allowed an in-depth exploration of how power, relationality and moral agency influenced participants' experiences was used for data analysis. Data consisted of semi-structured interviews with 30 healthcare providers. Findings The analysis resulted in the following four main themes and corresponding subthemes: (1) identifying factors that may result in ineligibility for MAiD due to capacity loss; (2) maintaining eligibility required to access MAiD; (3) preparing for an alternative end-of-life; (4) experiencing patients' capacity loss. Discussion This study highlights that while MAiD is legally available to eligible Canadians, access to MAiD and care for eligible patients who were unable to access MAiD due to their loss of decision-making varied based on the geographical locations and access to willing MAiD and end-of-life care providers. The availability of high-quality palliative care for patients throughout the MAiD process, including following the loss of capacity to consent and subsequent ineligibility, would improve the end-of-life experience for all those involved. The need to establish a systematic approach to prepare and care for patients and their families following the patients' loss of capacity and subsequent ineligibility for MAiD is also identified.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elizabeth Peter
- Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing,
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaJoint Centre for Bioethics,
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lisa Cranley
- Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing,
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Dianne Godkin
- Trillium Health Partners-Mississauga Hospital,
Mississauga, ON, CanadaLawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University
of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaJoint Centre for Bioethics, University of
Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Boström K, Dojan T, Rosendahl C, Gehrke L, Voltz R, Kremeike K. How do trained palliative care providers experience open desire to die-conversations? An explorative thematic analysis. Palliat Support Care 2022:1-9. [PMID: 35942616 DOI: 10.1017/s1478951522001006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Despite the potential benefits of open communication about possible desires to die for patients receiving palliative care, health professionals tend to avoid such conversations and often interpret desires to die as requests for medical aid in dying. After implementing trainings to foster an open, proactive approach toward desire to die, we requested trained health professionals to lead and document desire to die-conversations with their patients. In this article, we explore how trained health professionals experience an open (proactive) approach to desire to die-conversations with their patients. METHODS Between April 2018 and March 2020, health professionals recorded their conversation-experiences on documentation sheets by answering seven open questions. A subsample was invited to offer deeper insights through semi-structured qualitative interviews. Interviews and documentation sheets were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically, then findings from both sources were compared and synthesized. RESULTS Overall, N = 29 trained health professionals documented N = 81 open desire to die-conversations. A subsample of n = 13 health professionals participated in qualitative interviews. Desire to die-conversations after the training were reported as a complex but overall enriching experience, illustrated in seven themes: (1) beneficial (e.g., establishing good rapport) and (2) hindering aspects (e.g., patients' emotional barriers) of desire to die-conversations, (3) follow-up measures, (4) ways of addressing desire to die, as well as (5) patient reactions to it. The interviews offered space for health professionals to talk about (6) content of desire to die-conversation and (7) (self-)reflection (e.g., on patients' biographies or own performance). SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS As part of an open (proactive) approach, desire to die-conversations hold potential for health professionals' (self-)reflection and a deeper understanding of patient background and needs. They may lead to a strengthened health professional-patient relationship and potentially prevent suicide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen Boström
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Department of Palliative Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Thomas Dojan
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Department of Palliative Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Carolin Rosendahl
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Department of Palliative Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Leonie Gehrke
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Department of Palliative Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Raymond Voltz
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Department of Palliative Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Clinical Trials Center (ZKS), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Center for Health Services Research, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Kerstin Kremeike
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Department of Palliative Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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