Canada Legalizes Assisted Dying, But Leaves Doctors In Dark On Rules

Physician-assisted dying is now legal in Canada in cases where patients have a "grievous and irremediable" illness. But because the government has yet to pass federal legislation regulating the practice, the nation's doctors are in limbo. The Supreme Court of Canada struck down a ban on medical assistance in dying in February 2015 -- a ruling sometimes known as the "Carter decision." It also gave the government 12 months to pass legislation -- as well as another extension earlier this year -- outlining the conditions under which doctors can end a patient's life. On Monday, that deadline passed without a federal law in place. Canadian physicians now find themselves in a delicate and confusing situation. They are free to interpret what "grievous and irremediable" means, and are subject to the regulatory guidelines that their province has in place. Some doctors, however, fear that with no federal law in place on medical assistance in dying they could be held liable if criminal cases are brought against them.  “There’s a lot of concern about the uncertainty that has arisen because the bill hasn’t gone through,” Dr. Cindy Forbes, president of the Canadian Medical Association, told The WorldPost. “As it stands right now, we have the Carter decision and the provincial regulations. But the regulations are just that: regulations. They don’t provide legal protection.” function onPlayerReadyVidible(e){'undefined'!=...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news