The Provincial-Territorial Expert Advisory Group on Physician-Assisted Dying has issued that governments should consider as physician-assisted dying becomes law. Here are some highlights:
- Provinces and territories, preferably in collaboration with the federal government, should develop and implement a pan-Canadian strategy for palliative and end-of-life care, including physician-assisted dying.
- All provinces and territories should ensure access to physician-assisted dying, including both physician-administered and self-administered physician-assisted dying.
- Provincial/territorial governments should publicly fund physician-assisted dying.
- Provincial/territorial governments should not allow physician-assisted dying to be on the exclusion list for interprovincial reciprocal billing.
- Provinces and territories should request that the federal government amend the Criminal Code to explicitly protect those health professionals who provide supporting services during the provision of physician-assisted dying.
- Provinces and territories should request that the federal government amend the Criminal Code to allow the provision of physician-assisted dying by a regulated health care professional (registered nurse or, if applicable, physician assistant) acting under the direction of a physician, or a nurse practitioner. Provinces and territories should in turn ensure that no regulatory barriers exist that would prevent these health care professionals from providing physician-assisted dying.
- Provinces and territories should request that the federal government make it clear in its changes to the Criminal Code that at any time following the diagnosis of a grievous and irremediable condition, a request for physician-assisted dying made through a valid patient declaration form may be fulfilled when suffering becomes intolerable.
- Substitute decision makers should not be given the legal authority to consent to/authorize physician-assisted dying on behalf of an incompetent patient.
- Access to physician-assisted dying should not be impeded by the imposition of arbitrary age limits. Provinces and territories should recommend that the federal government make it clear in its changes to the Criminal Code that eligibility for physician-assisted dying is to be based on competence rather than age.
- Faith-based institutions must either allow physician-assisted dying within the institution or make arrangements for the safe and timely transfer of the patient to a non-objecting institution. The duty of care must be continuous and non-discriminatory.
