Canadian Medical Association releases draft rules on assisted suicide

Proposal includes 'cooling period' for person who makes request

Dr. Jeff Blackmer (right), executive director for ethics at the Canadian Medical Association,
speaks during a public consultation on end of life issues in Vancouver March 24, 2014.
Agnieszka Krawczynski / The B.C. Catholic.

The government hasn't introduced any laws on assisted suicide yet, so the Canadian Medical Association has. A new draft document suggests how the practice could be regulated.

It requires two doctors declare that a person asking for assisted suicide is informed, competent, and acting voluntarily.

It also asks for two oral requests at least 15 days apart and then another written request at least seven days later so the patient has time to mull over the decision.

“We’re not trying to address all of the issues,” said CMA's Dr. Jeff Blackmer. “But it’s at least a start to the conversation, because we need to have something to talk about. Right now, it’s just all very theoretical.”

Read more from the National Post or the draft itself by following a link from CKNW.