Medically Assisted Dying Practices: What Role for Clinical Ethicists?

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• End-of-Life Care

Background:

• Medically assisted dying (MAiD) is increasingly accessible globally.
• Ethical challenges persist despite legalization.
• Limited literature exists on the role of clinical ethicists (CEs) in MAiD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore perspectives of healthcare professionals (HPs) and CEs on CE roles in MAiD.
• To identify current and potential involvement of CEs in MAiD.
• To determine best practices and challenges of CE involvement in MAiD.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative exploratory study.
• Four online focus groups with HPs and CEs from Quebec and Switzerland.
• Thematic analysis of collected data.

Main Results:

• Identified four major themes: specific CE roles, necessary competencies, operationalization of involvement, and obstacles/pitfalls.
• Several roles for CEs in MAiD were identified, linked to specific ethical challenges.
• CE integration in MAiD must be context-specific and address misconceptions about clinical ethics.

Conclusions:

• CEs can contribute to MAiD provision by addressing ethical complexities.
• Effective integration requires understanding specific roles, competencies, and potential pitfalls.
• Context-specific approaches are crucial for successful CE involvement in MAiD.