More than 15,000 received MAID in 2023 as growth slows, report says
In 2023, over 15,000 individuals in Canada opted for medical assistance in dying (MAID), according to the latest report from Health Canada. This marked a 15.8% increase from the previous year, although the growth rate has slowed compared to the previous years. The report highlighted that it is difficult to determine if this slowdown indicates a stabilization in the number of MAID cases in the long term.
Factors such as increased awareness of MAID, an aging population, personal beliefs, societal acceptance, and the availability of practitioners offering MAID services all play a role in the number of individuals choosing this option. Health Canada emphasized that it will take several more years to identify conclusive trends related to overall demand for MAID.
Out of the 19,660 individuals who requested MAID in 2023, 2,906 passed away before their requests could be fulfilled, 915 were deemed ineligible, and 496 withdrew their requests. The report noted that natural death was foreseeable in about 96% of individuals who ultimately received MAID, with the median age of recipients being around 78 years old. Cancer was the most common medical condition cited, accounting for 64% of cases.
For the first time, the report also tracked the race, ethnicity, and cultural identity of MAID recipients. It revealed that 96% identified as Caucasian, with East Asian being the second most prevalent ethnic identity at 1.8%.
Provincially, Quebec had the highest number of MAID cases at 5,601, followed by Ontario with 4,644 cases and British Columbia with 2,759 cases. The report highlighted that MAID was administered by a practitioner in almost all cases, with self-administration being rare and only illegal in Quebec.
While medically assisted death in Canada is currently only legal for physical health conditions, there are discussions about potentially expanding the regime to include advance requests. Quebec recently announced that individuals with conditions like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease can request MAID before their mental capacity declines. However, those with a medical condition of mental illness remain ineligible for the service until at least March 2027.
In a recent case in British Columbia, a judge granted an urgent injunction to halt a 53-year-old Alberta woman’s medically assisted death one day before it was scheduled. The woman, who was denied MAID in Alberta, had approval from a practitioner in Vancouver without consultation with her other doctors. The judge noted that the woman appeared to have a mental health condition without a physical ailment.
As the landscape of medically assisted death continues to evolve in Canada, ongoing discussions and considerations are being made to ensure the process remains ethical and accessible to those who choose this end-of-life option.
