Advance Directives for Medical Assistance in Dying: A Pathway to Autonomy and Dignity
Assignment Detail
MAID: (medical assistance in dying)
Frank Edwards aged 75, attends an assessment at a geriatric clinic. He and his wife are told that he has early cognitive decline. He is told to put his like in order while he can make decisions for himself.
He prepares an advance directive. The instructions include:
• I want to have MAID when I cannot recognize my family and require total personal care.
• If I needs aggressive medical care, I do not want to be transferred to a hospital but to die at home or in a care home.
• I do not want to go to an ICU, have surgery or be dependent on machines and tubes to live.
• If I get pneumonia, do not treat the pneumonia
• I do not want CPR
Upon their return to the geriatrician, he shows him his advance directive. He is told that advance directives for MAID are not legal in Canada. However, the other requests in the advance directive including refusing any life-sustaining can be honoured.
Questions:
a) Explain why advance directives for MAID are not permitted.
b) Give arguments for and against permitting advance directives for MAID.
c) Which side of the argument do you support and why? (write for the argument in permitting advance directives for MAID)
d) In the event that advance directives for MAID are permitted, what safeguards do you recommend to protect vulnerable persons?
Important: this is not an essay about whether you support MAID or not. The question is about allowing persons to request MAID by us of an advance directive.
Textbook attached.
References: 3-4 references (include textbook also)
Collier, C., & Haliburton, R. (2021). Bioethics in Canada: A philosophical introduction (3rd
Canadian edition). Canadian Scholars, an imprint of CSP Books Inc.(this is text book)
Advance Directives for Medical Assistance in Dying: A Pathway to Autonomy and Dignity
Your Name
Subject and Section
Professor’s Name
April 16, 2023
Understanding the ethical implication and debates about advanced directive is important for every healthcare professional. It allows him to make effective and ethical decisions while considering the elements at hand. Accordingly, Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) has been a topic of ethical debate and legal reform in many countries, including Canada. In Canada, MAID is legal under specific criteria as per the legislation, Bill C-14. However, advance directives for MAID are not permitted. This essay will discuss the reasons for this prohibition and examine the arguments for and against permitting advance directives for MAID. In support of the argument for permitting advance directives, the essay will propose safeguards to protect vulnerable persons.
Reasons for the Prohibition
One of the issues for the prohibition is a disconnect between the law. Bill C-14 does not permit advance directives for MAID due to several concerns (Collier & Haliburton, 2021). One reason is the possibility that the person may change their mind when they or they can no longer communicate or make decisions. Another concern is the potential abuse of advance directives, leading to involuntary euthanasia or assisted suicide. Additionally, some argue that it is challenging to accurately predict a patient's future suffering and circumstances, which might cause patients to request MAID prematurely (Collier & Haliburton, 2021).
Arguments For and Against Permitting Advance Directives
On the one hand, proponents of advance directives for MAID emphasize the importance of respecting individual autonomy. People should have the right to decide about their medical care, including the choice to end their life under certain circumstances (Collier & Haliburton, 2021). Advance directives can provide a sense of control and dignity, especially for those facing degenerative conditions like dementia or Alzheimer's disease (Cantor, 2021). Furthermore, allowing individuals to make end-of-life decisions while still mentally capable can help prevent suffering and promote a peaceful death.
On the other hand, opponents of advance directives for MAID argue that permitting such directives could lead to abuse or misunderstanding. There are concerns that vulnerable individuals may be coerced or manipulated into signing advance directives, leading to involuntary euthanasia or assisted suicide (Collier & Haliburton, 2021). Moreover, there is the possibility that patients might change their minds but be unable to communicate their new wishes. Additionally, critics point out the difficulty in accurately predicting an individual's future suffering, which could lead to premature requests for MAID.
Supporting the Argument
In line with the importance and need for advanced directives, the author of this paper strongly believes in favor of permitting advance directives for MAID, based on the core bioethical principle of respecting individual autonomy, dignity, and control over one's life. However, to address concern...