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Rogers's commentary is frankly quite shocking. For a mature physician, one would assume he has thought about this already and has come to some conclusion in terms of his own feelings on the topic. Life is brief, life is fragile and it is not your place to decide what someone should do with theirs. If someone wishes to end their life, when they are faced with incurable disease and suffering, your job is to support that person if they choose to end it prematurely. This is the job you signed up for in medical school, we are here to help people with medical problems and solve it in a manner they find acceptable. Society has determined that assisted dying is acceptable and whether we like it or not, this is an option for patients today and I believe an enlightened one. I only hope when my time comes, I am not subjected to unnecessary suffering and I pass away quickly or at least have the option to terminate my own existence on my terms.
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In my practice I do not have the opportunity - the privilege - of being with patients who have the ability to choose the time and mode of their own death. In my practice, death would be terrifying, unexpected and without family members. I would not wish it on anyone, and I am thankful that I and my family members finally have - with informed consent - options about our deaths which we already have about our lives. No physician is forced to provide MAID unwillingly, but no physician is allowed to prevent a patient from accessing that which is their right. And so it should be. Philosophizing about the nature and meaning of death and suffering is important, but I will not impose the result of my personal philosophical musings on others. I wouldn't even impose it on a suffering pet.
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I am deeply offended by Dr Ladouceur's suggestion that MAID allows us to dispose of life.
As someone who has experienced a loved one who had to hang himself years ago to end his terrible, terminal suffering (his wife found him), and more recently a loved one (Dr Jay Keystone) who chose MAID to end his terrible, terminal suffering surrounded by his family, I can't imagine that either chose to dispose of their lives.
Dr Ladouceur is frightened by how simple it is to die. It is not simple. It is a rigorous process that leads to a peaceful and dignified death. It is also very courageous. I look forward to the courts extending the criteria for people to chose to die with dignity.
Competing Interests: None declared.
