Continuing the conversation about medical assistance in dying. Issue 1 (8th August 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: DeMichelis, Carey; Zlotnik Shaul, Randi; Rapoport, Adam
• Is Part Of: Journal of medical ethics. Volume 46:Issue 1(2020)
• Page Start: 53
• Page End: 54
• Publication Date: 2019-08-08
• Subjects: ethics -- informed consent -- euthanasia -- pediatrics -- policy development; Medical ethics -- Periodicals; 174.2
• DOI: 10.1136/medethics-2019-105664
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-6800

Abstract

Abstract : In their summary and critique, Gamble, Gamble, and Pruski mischaracterise both the central arguments and the primary objectives of our original paper. Our paper does not provide an ethical justification for paediatric Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) by comparing it with other end of life care options. In fact, it does not offer arguments about the permissibility of MAID for capable young people at all. Instead, our paper focuses on the ethical questions that emerged as we worked to develop a policy for responding to MAID requests at our tertiary paediatric institution. Following the Supreme Court of Canada's recent decriminalisation of MAID, our hospital needed to answer immediate on-the-ground questions such as: 'What are we going to do if an 18-year-old patient in our care requested MAID today, as is now their legal right? How should we protect their privacy? What is the best way to ensure patients are informed when making these decisions?' On these important questions, Gamble, Gamble, and Pruskiare silent.