A recent article in the National Post discussed the differences that several Canadian psychiatrists have when discussing assisted suicide for those with mental illness.

Several psychiatrists oppose extending Canada’s assisted suicide laws and the fact that they put vulnerable people at risk of deadly harm. Below is an excerpt from the National Post article showing one doctor’s opposition to this expansion.

“The seven psychiatry chairs are troubled that it doesn’t carve out a requirement that a psychiatrist must be involved in the assessment process for MAID cases involving mental illness. They argue that no accepted definition of ‘irremediability’ for mental disorders exists and that extra safeguards to protect vulnerable groups disproportionately affected by mental illness are still lacking.

Too much is being left in the hands of MAID assessors and providers, said Dr. Jitender Sareen, department head of psychiatry at the University of Manitoba. ‘Offering people death instead of appropriate treatments really goes against what we as a society should be doing.’

Sareen said guidance is also lacking on how or whether doctors can distinguish between someone who is actively suicidal and someone who is making a rational request for MAID but who isn’t in a period of crisis.”