A Look at Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) in Canada
A Look at Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) in Canada
In June 2016, Medical assistance in dying (MAID) became legal in Canada. Medical assistance in dying is a process where a doctor or a nurse practitioner (in certain provinces) assist a patient to end their life at the patient’s capable, voluntary, and explicit request. Family members, pharmacists, and nurse’s aides can all stand by this process, and not be charged under criminal law. Numerous laws and regulations are surrounding this process. If you would like more information regarding the laws on MAID, visit the Laws on the Government of Canada website.
MAID differs from palliative care, in that “hospice palliative care does not seek to hasten death or intentionally end life. Whereas with MAID, the intention is to address suffering by ending life through the administration of a lethal dose of drugs at an eligible person's request.” (Source). There has been some confusion with the two, and the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) and the Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians (CSPCP) are seeking to clarify these two processes.
In certain situations, an individual may want to undergo MAID to end their excruciating suffering from a terminal disease. Not all health care providers are comfortable with medical assistance in dying. Aspen Care cannot administer MAID, as we are a company made up of LPN’s and HCA’s and it is out of our scope of practice. Only a medical doctor or a medical team can administer MAID. Undergoing MAID is rare, and we encourage our clients to initially explore palliative care before commencing medical assistance in dying. Also, choosing the MAID process is not immediate. There is a grace period, many forms to be filled, and eligibility criteria to meet.
Below is a direct excerpt is taken from the Government of Canada website regarding the eligibility criteria set-up in Canada for individuals seeking MAID:
“To be eligible for medical assistance in dying, you must meet all of the following criteria. You must:
be eligible for health services funded by the federal government, or a province or territory (or during the applicable minimum period of residence or waiting period for eligibility)
generally, visitors to Canada are not eligible for medical assistance in dying
be at least 18 years old and mentally competent. This means being capable of making health care decisions for yourself.
make a voluntary request for medical assistance in dying that is not the result of outside pressure or influence
give informed consent to receive medical assistance in dying”
There are two types of medical assistance in dying in Canada. Please check with your province’s options, as these methods may only be available in certain provinces and territories. The two types of MAID are:
Clinician-Administered Medical Assistance in Dying: which means administering a substance that can cause death such as an injection or drug.
Self-Administered Medical Assistance in Dying: a prescribed medication that the patient takes themselves to bring about their death (also previously known as assisted-suicide).
Do some more research before choosing MAID. Each province and territory is set up differently and has its own rules and regulations for servicing MAID. There is too much information per province and territory to summarize in one blog post. However, rules and regulations surrounding MAID are constantly changing. We will be sure to update our blog post and any relevant information we discover regarding this subject in the near future.
Our team at Aspen Care has listed all of the websites where you can find ample information on MAID per province and territory. Please do your homework and research plenty before considering this method. In addition, if you would like to speak with someone regarding this process, please phone 8-1-1 (Healthlink). Healthlink is a free-of-charge provincial health information phone line that can assist you with whatever health concern you are experiencing. 8-1-1 is a great resource for acquiring information on MAID in your province.
MAID Information Across Canada (Provincial and Territorial)
British Columbia:
Alberta:
Contact for Information: MAID.careteam@ahs.ca
Saskatchewan:
Call 800-667-7766 (toll-free) in Saskatchewan
info@health.gov.sk.ca for general inquiries
Manitoba:
call 204-926-1380
maid@wrha.mb.ca
Ontario:
Care coordination service: Medical assistance in dying: Call 1-866-286-4023
Quebec
Call 418-644-4545 for the Québec City region
Call 514-644-4545 for the Montreal region
Call 877-644-4545 (toll-free) for the rest of Quebec
New Brunswick
Call 506-457-4800
Nova Scotia
Call 902-491-5892
PEI
Call 902-368-6130
Newfoundland
Provincial Coordinator: Dr. Aaron McKim, Email: aaron.mckim@gov.nl.ca
Yukon
Call 867-667-5695
Call toll-free (Yukon, Nunavut, and NWT); 1-800-661-0408 ext. 5695
Email: hss@gov.yk.ca
Northwest Territories
Call 855-846-9601 (toll-free) or 867-767-9050, extension 49008
Email: PAD@gov.nt.ca
Nunavut
Call 867-975-5700
Email: info.maid@gov.nu.ca
There was no direct web information for MAID. However, we highly recommend calling or emailing the health offices in Nunavut for more information. For general health information, please visit: https://www.gov.nu.ca/health
