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Assisted suicide has been legal in Canada for a few years now, and there haven’t been many major issues (other than Catholic hospitals refusing to comply with t

by fnbr 8y ago

Assisted suicide has been legal in Canada for a few years now, and there haven’t been many major issues (other than Catholic hospitals refusing to comply with the law). Doctors aren't fools, and won't do it in cases that aren't blatantly acceptable. Most of the scenarios where it is desirable are cut and dry, and we have ethics boards/courts to handle the other circumstances.

hn_throwaway_99 8y ago
Assisted suicide is a completely different thing than "laws preventing family members from prolonging the suffering of their loved ones." The first gives patients and families more options in how to deal with end of life care, the other takes options away.
- cronix 8y ago
  > the other takes options away Yes, it takes it out of the hands of the family and actually respects the patients final wishes, that they made for themselves while still lucid.
  - hn_throwaway_99 8y ago
    What are you referring to? No one is talking about invalidating advance directives, or taking away medical power of attorney, etc., in cases where, as you put it, "the patients final wishes, that they made for themselves while still lucid" are known. Of course (unfortunately) most people still don't take these steps to make their wishes known. But the original comment was about "laws preventing family members from prolonging the suffering of their loved ones," specifically about an example of a young child, whose wishes were not known (and of course not really relevant for a toddler). The fact is in the absence of any advanced directive I would much rather have the family make decisions about the type of care desired by the patient than the state.
coldacid 8y ago
"Refusing to comply with the law" sounds like assisted suicide is mandated, when it's really a voluntary thing. As it is, where are there even still private, religious hospitals in the country? At least here in Ontario hospitals are all public institutions.
- fnbr 8y ago
  Ah, welcome to Alberta :) A lot of small towns in Alberta only have Catholic hospitals (which are publicly funded, but run by Covenant Health [0], a Catholic institution). They refuse to provide, among other things, assisted suicide or abortion services despite being publicly funded. 4/9 of Edmonton's hospitals are run by Covenant Health. [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covenant_Health_(Alberta) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covenant_Health_(Alberta)

by fnbr 8y ago

hn_throwaway_99 8y ago

Assisted suicide is a completely different thing than "laws preventing family members from prolonging the suffering of their loved ones." The first gives patients and families more options in how to deal with end of life care, the other takes options away.

cronix 8y ago
> the other takes options away Yes, it takes it out of the hands of the family and actually respects the patients final wishes, that they made for themselves while still lucid.
- hn_throwaway_99 8y ago
  What are you referring to? No one is talking about invalidating advance directives, or taking away medical power of attorney, etc., in cases where, as you put it, "the patients final wishes, that they made for themselves while still lucid" are known. Of course (unfortunately) most people still don't take these steps to make their wishes known. But the original comment was about "laws preventing family members from prolonging the suffering of their loved ones," specifically about an example of a young child, whose wishes were not known (and of course not really relevant for a toddler). The fact is in the absence of any advanced directive I would much rather have the family make decisions about the type of care desired by the patient than the state.

coldacid 8y ago

"Refusing to comply with the law" sounds like assisted suicide is mandated, when it's really a voluntary thing. As it is, where are there even still private, religious hospitals in the country? At least here in Ontario hospitals are all public institutions.

fnbr 8y ago
Ah, welcome to Alberta :) A lot of small towns in Alberta only have Catholic hospitals (which are publicly funded, but run by Covenant Health [0], a Catholic institution). They refuse to provide, among other things, assisted suicide or abortion services despite being publicly funded. 4/9 of Edmonton's hospitals are run by Covenant Health. [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covenant_Health_(Alberta) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covenant_Health_(Alberta)