Understanding the Policy Landscape Surrounding Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada's Federal Prison System.

Abstract

Medical assistance in dying (MAiD) has been legal in Canada since 2016, and the implementation of MAiD for people who are incarcerated has raised ethical and procedural concerns. In this article, we review the current Correctional Service Canada guideline on MAiD alongside a joint report by the Office of the Correctional Investigator (OCI) and the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) on aging and dying in prison. We echo concerns raised by the OCI and the CHRC about the limits of adequate end-of-life care currently provided to those in custody and offer our analysis of the procedural guideline for MAiD in prison, which we argue to be inadequate in support for patient-centered care and equality in access to health care.