New paper: 'Words matter: ‘enduring intolerable suffering’ and the provider-side peril of Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada'
in the Journal of Medical Ethics
I’ve recently published an article on Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) in the Journal of Medical Ethics, titled ‘Words matter: ‘enduring intolerable suffering’ and the provider-side peril of Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada’. The paper is paywalled, but the close-enough accepted version is available here, or you may contact me directly via my email in the link or through Substack for the ‘online first’ published version. I’ve pasted the abstract below:
‘Abstract Enduring intolerable suffering, an essential eligibility criterion in Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) in Canada and elsewhere, is a contradiction in terms, in that suffering must be tolerable to be endured. Cases of people who were approved for MAiD but who elected to die naturally, thus tolerating their suffering, bear out the unreliability of this central safeguard. The clinical assessment of intolerable suffering may be strengthened by adopting a definition of intolerable suffering centred on clinically evidenced physical and psychological decompensation. This argument also raises important questions about the risks of MAiD clinicians subjectively defining, approving and providing MAiD in ways that deviate from accepted legal and clinical concepts and ethics. Examples show some prolific clinicians describe MAiD in terminology that differs from such norms, as a personal mission, as personally pleasurable, and as a rights-based service. These alternative views are explored for their risks in assessing and providing MAiD for intolerable suffering. This further demonstrates the need for conceptual clarity in legislation, improved vetting and monitoring of clinicians, and a different assessment process to protect patients and clinicians.’
Full reference: Lyon C 2024 ‘Words matter: ‘enduring intolerable suffering’ and the provider-side peril of Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada’ Journal of Medical Ethics Online First: 05 March 2024. doi: 10.1136/jme-2023-109555
Thank you, Mr. Lyon for your excellent article on the horrific dangers of physician assisted suicide/physician aid in dying. Minnesota/U.S. legislators are currently debating end of life legislation modeled after Canada's MAiD. My beloved mother was euthanized at an awful hospice in MN in 2020. She died from a toxic cocktail of narcotics, benzodiazepines, antipsychotics and sedatives. She was malnourished and dehydrated. My mother wasn't in an active state of dying when she was admitted to the hospice facility. Her death was horrific to witness. Please keep speaking out about the murder brokers who have infiltrated our healthcare system.