Canada has indefinitely suspended plans to expand the scope of the "Medically Assisted Dying" law to include those suffering solely from psychiatric illnesses, due to unresolved questions about who qualifies for the right.
On 7 Oct 2026 GMT+7, the Canadian government announced an indefinite suspension of plans to extend the "Medically Assisted Dying" (MAID) law to cover individuals with only psychiatric disorders, as there is still no consensus on who should be eligible for this right.
Sean Fraser, Canada's Minister of Justice, said that although there is no unanimous agreement on this matter, the government believes this is the correct approach given the current situation.
This announcement means that patients suffering solely from psychiatric illnesses, without any other conditions, will not be able to access MAID by the original deadline of March 2027 GMT+7. The government plans to introduce new legislation in the coming weeks to officially suspend this plan.
The government had planned to amend the law to allow patients with untreatable chronic illnesses to provide "advance consent" for MAID before their health deteriorates to the point where they cannot express their wishes. However, the final decision will depend on each provincial jurisdiction, with Quebec currently being the only province permitting this.
Ultimately, the Canadian government decided to suspend the plan, with the Justice Minister expressing concerns that the medical community has not reached clear conclusions about whether some psychiatric disorders are truly incurable.
Meanwhile, experts from various fields worry that medically assisted dying might become a way to alleviate patient suffering instead of the government focusing on improving access to housing and better mental health care systems.
A parliamentary committee recommended indefinitely excluding patients with only psychiatric illnesses from MAID eligibility, emphasizing the urgent need to improve equitable access to mental health services.
Supporters of expanding MAID rights argue that excluding psychiatric patients violates constitutional rights and access to healthcare, citing cases such as Claire Brosseau, a treatment-resistant bipolar disorder type 1 patient who is challenging the current law. She considers a peaceful assisted death a "safe death" for her.
Opinion polls show that most Canadians support MAID laws for terminally ill patients, but support drops significantly when it concerns patients with only psychiatric disorders.
Canada first legally allowed MAID for terminally ill patients in 2016, and in 2021 expanded the law to include patients with untreatable chronic illnesses even if they are not near death.
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Source:bbc