Several euthanasia deaths in Canada driven by isolation, homelessness: Reports

An expert committee has reviewed euthanasia deaths in Canada's most populous province, Ontario, and identified that in several cases where patients asked to be killed were not due to terminal illness but social reasons including isolation and fears of homelessness.

The findings have further raised concerns over approvals for vulnerable people in the country's assisted dying system.

On Wednesday (Oct 16), Ontario’s chief coroner issued several reports after an Associated Press investigation based on data provided reviewed theeuthanasia deaths of people who weren't terminally ill.

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Notably, the reports are based on an analysis of anonymised cases, chosen for their implications for future euthanasia requests.

The legal criteria in Canada require a medical reason for euthanasia, a fatal diagnosis, or unmanageable pain. However, according to the committee's reports, cases where people were euthanised were based on other factors including an "unmet social need".

The AP's investigationfound doctors and nurses privately struggling with euthanasia requests from vulnerable people whose suffering might be addressed by money, social connections or adequate housing.

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The providers expressed deep discomfort with ending the lives of vulnerable people whose deaths were avoidable, even if they met the criteria.

DrRamona Coelho, a doctor on the expert committee, said, "To finally have a government report that recognizes these cases of concern is extremely important. We’ve been gaslit for so many years when we raised fears about people getting MAiD because they were poor, disabled, or socially isolated."

DrScott Kim, a physician and bioethicist at the National Institutes of Health in Washington, said the real issue is the permissive nature of Canada's law.

However,according to the polls, widespread support can be seen for expanding euthanasia access in Canada. In line with this, Kim questioned whether most Canadians understand what is allowed and said it's “baffling” that officials hadn't previously considered these issues.

(With inputs from agencies)