Summary
Alberta has proposed a new law to limit medically assisted dying in the province to only end-of-life situations. This comes after Canada expanded the use of such services to serious, incurable illnesses or disabilities, even without foreseeable death. Alberta’s law seeks to ban doctors from suggesting assisted dying and to stop its advertising in healthcare settings.
Key Facts
- Alberta's proposed law would only allow assisted dying at end-of-life.
- Canada legalized assisted dying in 2016 and expanded it in 2021.
- Alberta's proposal is the first to independently introduce limits in Canada.
- Current access to assisted dying in Canada is set to include mental illness from next year, but this has been delayed twice.
- The new law would prohibit healthcare providers from discussing assisted dying without patient initiation.
- Public advertising of assisted dying in hospitals would be banned under this proposal.
- In Canada, roughly 5% of deaths are through medically assisted dying.
- Provinces in Canada manage healthcare delivery and regulation, despite federal eligibility guidelines.
