PHI 2396 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Palliative Care, Euthanasia, Advance Healthcare Directive
12 Feb 2019
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Document Summary
Bill c-14 is a compromise law in canada on medically assisted suicide. Some lawmakers wanted a more restrictive law, others wanted a less restrictive law. It permits medical assistance in dying for consenting adults in an advanced stage of irreversible decline from a serious and "incurable"" disease or illness and for whom natural death is "reasonably foreseeable . In addition, the law incorporates detailed safeguards to prevent various types of abuse, including: 10 day waiting period in case patients change their minds, and patients must consent again immediately before the assisted death takes place. Two independent witnesses are required who must satisfy certain conditions, including not being beneficiaries in the patient"s will. The constitutionality of bill c-14 is being challenged in the courts for being too restrictive. People with long term disabilities, who might for this reason wish to end their lives, would not be eligible b/c their death is not reasonably foreseeable.
