Canada's Medical Assistance in Dying System can Enable Healthcare Serial Killing

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Criminal Justice
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) is legal in Canada, involving euthanasia or assisted suicide.
• Healthcare serial killing (HSK) poses a risk, with perpetrators targeting similar patient profiles and rationales as MAiD-eligible individuals.
• HSK often goes undetected due to inadequate background checks, oversight, and failure to address concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the Canadian MAiD system's safeguards against healthcare serial killing.
• To identify vulnerabilities within the MAiD framework that could be exploited.
• To offer insights for improving safeguards in Canada and other jurisdictions considering or implementing euthanasia and assisted suicide (EAS).

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the Canadian MAiD framework, focusing on its euthanasia-based structure.
• Comparison of MAiD features with known characteristics of healthcare serial killing.
• Evaluation of existing safeguards, clinician eligibility, and oversight mechanisms.

Main Results:

• The Canadian MAiD system shares features with HSK, including broad eligibility criteria.
• Clinicians in MAiD may have exemptions from criminal culpability, creating potential opportunities for abuse.
• Weaknesses in oversight, vetting, and training are identified as significant risks.

Conclusions:

• The current Canadian MAiD system requires significant improvements in safeguarding measures.
• Enhanced clinical standards, rigorous vetting and training of MAiD providers are crucial.
• A radical restructuring of MAiD oversight and delivery is necessary to mitigate the risk of homicidal abuses.