Palliative Care and Medical Assistance in Dying: The State of the Relationship in Canada

Authors

  • Jeff Myers, MD Division of Palliative Care, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Author

Abstract

Nearly a decade has passed since the Canadian government passed federal legislation that permitted eligible Canadians to request medical assistance in dying (MAiD), and it has been almost five years since the implementation of expanded eligibility criteria. Over this period, there has been a substantial increase in the number of jurisdictions around the world that have legalized assisted dying (Figure 1). At a time when the global landscape of care at the end-of-life is dramatically shifting, here we examine the state of the relationship between palliative care and MAiD in Canada.

Author Biography

  • Jeff Myers, MD, Division of Palliative Care, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON

    Dr. Jeff Myers has been a palliative medicine physician for 25 years and is clinically based at Sinai Health’s Palliative Care Unit in the Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital. He is a Professor within University of Toronto’s Department of Family and Community Medicine and currently holds the Bresver Family Chair in
    End-of-Life Care and Medical Assistance in Dying.

References

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Published

2025-12-16

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Section

Articles