A Designed Death - Part 2

The Pro's & Con's of Assisted Dying

This is the 2nd part of an article first published in FORBES in 2022, and I republish it now as the UK debates assisted dying legislation. An idea that is spreading around the world. Here are some countries and case studies showing the way forward. The first part of this series can be found here.

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Assisted dying is controversial, the national approaches to it diverse, and the voices raised both in favour and against it passionate. Here’s an overview of the arguments - and the facts that favour or limit them. As well as a closer look at the case study of Canada.

The number of people currently calling on assistance in dying remains small, relative to the total number of deaths, whether the practice is new (Canada) or has been around for decades (the Netherlands). It varies hugely by country. In the last eight years, less than 200 people in Colombia have used assistance in dying. In Canada, since legalisation in 2016, some 40,000. The Canadian roll out has been closely watched and reported. What have we learned?

Canada: Exemplary Roll Out or Cautionary Tale?

Canada is often cited by those with concerns about medically assisted dying as evidence of a ‘slippery slope’. Its MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying) law was introduced in 2016 for adults with conditions where death is reasonably foreseeable - expected within 6 months. It was extended to those with severe chronic but not terminal physical ailments in 2021, and will be further made available to those with severe chronic mental conditions in 2023. Currently under consideration is the possibility of advance directives for people falling into conditions like dementia that will remove decision-making ability.

For some, this progression is proof of a ‘slippery slope’ – once one element is allowed, others will inevitably follow until almost anything is permitted. For others, it is a careful and considered roll-out of a new set of laws - up to, but not beyond, a logical and morally defensible limit. In truth, Canada is not particularly exceptional in its approach. Everything currently permitted there is also available in a number of other countries.

What may seem exceptional is that over 40,000 people will have died through MAID in its first six years. Many find this astonishing and frightening. They question whether the approval process is too lax. Digging deeper offers some context: