OTTAWA | December 3, 2010

PODCAST: Last wishes

By Kim Mackrael       Producer Renee Wei
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kimKim Mackrael in studio talking to Dr. Roy over the phone.

What would you do if you gave birth to a baby without a functioning brain? Or if you knew your grandfather was being kept alive by machines with no chance of recovery?

Thirty years ago, most patients and families would be left to make decisions like that on their own or be forced to accept a physician's judgment. Today, clinical ethicists are on hand at most Canadian hospitals to talk through the options.

Dr. David J. Roy was among the first ethicists to offer bedside consultations for patients in Montreal when he began the work in the 1970s. He tells Capital News Online about his work, shares some of his stories, and stakes a position on the controversial issue of euthanasia.

Dr. David J. Roy in his office in Montreal.
Euthanasia in the world

International Perspective

The world medical community considers both euthanasia and assisted suicide to be in conflict with basic ethical principles of medical practice. The World Medical Association, with members representing medical associations from 82 countries, has adopted strong resolutions condemning the practices. It also urges all national medical associations and physicians to refrain from participating in them ever if national laws allow or decriminalizes the practices.

Canada

Canada's Criminal Code provides that:

No person is entitled to consent to have death inflicted on him, and such consent does not affect the criminal responsibility of any person by whom death may be inflicted on the person by whom consent is given.

  • Euthanasia is illegal. A doctor who, at a patient’s request, gives the patient a lethal injection would be criminally liable;
  • It is an offence to counsel or to aid suicide, although suicide itself is no longer an offence;
  • The common law recognizes the right of an adult, competent person to refuse medical treatment or to demand that treatment, once begun, be withdrawn or discontinued.