Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia: Language Lost in MAiD

Authors

  • Rafal Gromadzki Department Philosophy, University of New Brunswick; Ethics Services, Horizon Health Network, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3580-8604
  • Timothy Christie Ethics Services, Horizon Health Network, Saint John, New Brunswick; Department Philosophy, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, New Brunswick; Department of Bioethics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9613-2598

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7202/1112287ar

Keywords:

MAiD, medical assistance in dying, suicide, assisted suicide, euthanasia, Canada

Language(s):

English

Abstract

For most of Canada’s approximately 40-year debate on medically assisted death, euthanasia and assisted suicide were considered distinct issues. Yet in 2016 their ethical, psychological, and practical differences were effectively disregarded when the two acts were grouped together in the legislation under the umbrella term “Medical Assistance in Dying” (MAiD). The lack of distinction under the law of the two terms ignores important ethical considerations from the MAiD practitioners’ perspective. Although the principle of respect for autonomy must remain central to the assessments of MAiD eligibility, it cannot be the only consideration. This paper examines the ethical considerations and principles that underlie decisions to provide MAiD through an analysis of the progress, and results, of the 40-year debate on assisted suicide and euthanasia.

(c) Han Han Li

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Published

2024-06-21 — Updated on 2024-07-15

Versions

How to Cite

[1]
Gromadzki R, Christie T. Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia: Language Lost in MAiD. Can. J. Bioeth 2024;7:159-65. https://doi.org/10.7202/1112287ar.

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 2-3 (2024): Open Issue & CBS Workshops

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Rafal Gromadzki, Timothy Christie

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The Canadian Journal of Bioethics applies the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License to all its publications. Authors therefore retain copyright of their publication, e.g., they can reuse their publication, link to it on their home page or institutional website, deposit a PDF in a public repository. However, the authors allow anyone to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute, and/or copy their publication, so long as the original authors and source are cited.