New Data Reveals a 31 Percent Surge in Assisted Dying, Contributing to Over 4 Percent of Deaths in Canada

According to the data, the province of Quebec had the highest number of MAID deaths in 2022, followed by Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta. The latest report on assisted dying in Canada revealed that MAID accounted for 4.1 percent of all deaths in the country in 2022. The Fourth Annual Report on Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada 2022, released on Oct. 24, stated that there were a total of 13,241 MAID deaths that year, representing a growth rate of 31.2 percent from the previous year. Every province and territory, except Manitoba and the Yukon, experienced year-over-year growth. Quebec accounted for the most MAID deaths, with 4,801, followed by Ontario (3,934), British Columbia (2,515), and Alberta (836). In Quebec, MAID deaths made up 6.6 percent of all deaths in the province in 2022. The report also highlighted that there were 463 cases where the person’s natural death was not reasonably foreseeable. Out of the 16,104 written requests for MAID in 2022, 3,002 did not result in assisted death. This included individuals who died before receiving the procedure, those deemed ineligible, and those who withdrew their requests. The numbers of MAID deaths are expected to increase as the government expands access. Starting on March 17, 2024, individuals with a sole medical condition of mental illness will be able to choose MAID, following a one-year delay in the expansion. The report comes after Bill C-314, which aimed to prevent the expansion of MAID to those with mental illnesses, failed to pass in the House of Commons. Canada’s experience with MAID began in 2016, allowing eligible adults to request the procedure for terminal illnesses. The legislation was introduced to comply with a Supreme Court ruling. In March 2021, Parliament passed Bill C-7, amending the Criminal Code to permit MAID for individuals whose natural death is not reasonably foreseeable. The bill included certain requirements such as a minimum 90-day assessment period and two clarifications of informed consent.



Source link