The Annals of Medical Assistance in Dying.

Abstract

Ideas and Opinions15 November 2016The Annals of Medical Assistance in DyingCatherine Frazee, DLitt, LLD and Harvey Max Chochinov, MD, PhDCatherine Frazee, DLitt, LLDSearch for more papers by this author and Harvey Max Chochinov, MD, PhDSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M16-1685 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail In the annals of assisted death, 2016 was Canada's watershed year. On 17 June, a new law permitting the practice of euthanasia and assisted suicide, or medical assistance in dying (MAID), received royal assent. The advent of this law concluded an intense process of inquiry and debate in the maelstroms of parliament and public opinion.Among the handful of nations that permit any form of euthanasia or assisted suicide, Canada had a unique catalyst for initiation of a controversial policy shift: a firm decision in February 2015 by the Supreme Court of Canada (1) that overturned a legal precedent established ...