Quebec committee says Alzheimer’s patients should get access to doctor-assisted death
QUEBEC — A Quebec committee of elected officials says anyone diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease should be able to sign an advance request for medical aid in dying.
That is the main recommendation proposed by the multi-party committee looking at expanding the province’s law on end-of-life care, and it is expected to revive a sensitive debate that has divided politicians and the public.
The current law, adopted in 2014, set out strict criteria that include informed consent of a patient until their death, meaning people who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and could no longer provide informed consent do not have access.
If the legislature follows the committee’s recommendation, the law would allow any adult diagnosed with a serious and incurable disease and facing incapacity to make an advance request for medical aid in dying.