Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Yes, I think it should also be involved in that when…

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  When patients make their request, they could state that they wish to receive medical assistance in dying if they fall into a state of pleasant dementia.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  In response to the first question, in keeping with what my colleague was saying earlier, yes, there can be objectifiable symptoms. If, according to someone, having both stool and urine incontinence is a form of suffering that is intolerable and objectifiable to that patient, who

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  I think we have to make sure the advance request is done with a person knowing what they are requesting and make sure they know all the options available. We have to make sure that when or if they are implemented, they are done in the proper way and that we have a review system t

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  People are always somewhat reluctant to discuss pleasant dementia. What we call pleasant dementia is a condition that affects people who are happy in their everyday lives and who exhibit no objectifiable suffering. They don't necessarily recognize their loved ones or have any ide

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  It's actually difficult to determine the frequency because we don't know how much time will elapse between the two. I also think it would be important to reassess the request, as Dr. Pageau said, when he talked about the "changing self". I don't use philosophical terms as refined

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Yes. Incidentally, I'd like to correct what you said, if I may. I prefer to say "advance requests" instead of "advance directives". It's an important distinction.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  It's much more complicated in an advance request case. Patients who have cognitive disorders often resist everything. They may object to baths, getting dressed or brushing their teeth. In that case, I'm not sure resistance to treatment can be interpreted as a refusal of treatment

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Yes. However, that's not the same thing. People who are reaching the end of their lives and who lose their capacity are often unconscious. Resistance is less frequent. The person will be unconscious and therefore won't resist. That person won't be aware of his or her environment.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Obviously, no. It wouldn't be possible to do that in the present circumstances because a person's capacities must be in advanced decline for that person to be eligible for medical assistance in dying. When you make a diagnosis, you usually ensure that the person has made a will

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  In my case, it's always the patients who bring up medical assistance in dying. Many of my patients who have neurocognitive disorders or other pathologies tell me they want to die. Many will ultimately decide not to request medical assistance in dying. Some discuss medical assista

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  That's very hard to say because it depends on how the disease develops. We often cite the example of Alzheimer's disease, which is a gradual deterioration of capacity, but there are other neurocognitive disorders where the deterioration won't be as gradual. It's impossible to pre

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  I was actually talking about the present situation. Yes, there is a moment when the decline is advanced and the disease is serious enough to be considered incurable. The person then meets the criteria. As a result, some people with neurocognitive disorders are currently receiving

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Regardless of who has access to medical assistance in dying, we will always have to ensure that it is never requested for lack of appropriate treatment. Medical assistance in dying should never be chosen because patients suffering from a neurocognitive disorder don't have access

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  No, I haven't seen it in my professional practice, and nothing in anything I have heard in the various forums suggests that medical assistance in dying has been requested for lack of proper treatment. Furthermore, palliative care statistics show that the vast majority of people w