As you may remember, a few months ago, the Supreme Court of Canada made history when they unanimously struck down the ban that prohibited physician-assisted death for adults suffering "grievous" and "irremediable" conditions. While many applauded the decision in favour of personal autonomy and approved of Canadian citizens having the right to decide whether they wish to die with dignity or not, within the field of psychiatry hesitation and concern still lingers ...
Specifically, many psychiatrists are worried about how the new ruling will affect patients with mental health conditions, as they fear many would argue that certain mental illnesses cause "intolerable suffering" and treatments are often used for symptom control rather than a definite cure, making it fit under the "irremediable" criteria as well.
What's more is that some are arguing that psychiatric assessments should be performed for every person seeking assisted death, which could place psychiatrists in more of a "gatekeeper role" and in a immensely difficult position trying to balance between "enabling" suicide/death while still trying to protect patients, particularly those with mental illness.
To learn more about what psychiatrists from around the country are saying about this topic, check out the interesting article here: http://news.nationalpost.com/health/0914-na-suicide
"The ruling is creating deep discomfort in a field of medicine where “cures” are rare, and where many worry there is every possibility severe depression and other mental illnesses could meet the test for assisted suicide, or even euthanasia — death by lethal injection — as set out by the court, as long as the person is competent and can provide free and informed consent...
The big fear for psychiatrists is that they may be participating in physician-assisted death, when there is a chance for treatment."
Specifically, many psychiatrists are worried about how the new ruling will affect patients with mental health conditions, as they fear many would argue that certain mental illnesses cause "intolerable suffering" and treatments are often used for symptom control rather than a definite cure, making it fit under the "irremediable" criteria as well.
What's more is that some are arguing that psychiatric assessments should be performed for every person seeking assisted death, which could place psychiatrists in more of a "gatekeeper role" and in a immensely difficult position trying to balance between "enabling" suicide/death while still trying to protect patients, particularly those with mental illness.
To learn more about what psychiatrists from around the country are saying about this topic, check out the interesting article here: http://news.nationalpost.com/health/0914-na-suicide
"The ruling is creating deep discomfort in a field of medicine where “cures” are rare, and where many worry there is every possibility severe depression and other mental illnesses could meet the test for assisted suicide, or even euthanasia — death by lethal injection — as set out by the court, as long as the person is competent and can provide free and informed consent...
The big fear for psychiatrists is that they may be participating in physician-assisted death, when there is a chance for treatment."
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