Categories: Health

Canada delays euthanasia for mentally ill until 2027

TORONTO (AFP): Canada on Thursday delayed until 2027 an expansion of its euthanasia laws that would make mentally ill patients eligible, saying more time was needed to prepare the health system.

Doctor-assisted suicide for the terminally ill was approved in 2016 in Canada, with the legislation due to be expanded this year to permit mentally ill patients to request euthanasia.

But Ottawa has repeatedly delayed its rollout, which is now scheduled after the next federal elections.

Health Minister Mark Holland announced the extension, saying it would allow for “a parliamentary review to assess the state of readiness of the system.”

He said all 13 provinces and territories, which are responsible for health care in Canada, reported they were not yet ready.

A committee report last month said many practitioners were concerned about distinguishing requests for euthanasia from suicide attempts, and about “protecting the most vulnerable in our society.”

Nearly 45,000 Canadians received an assisted death between 2016 and 2022.

The Frontier Post

Recent Posts

Pakistan keen to transform Qatar ties into a robust economic partnership: PM

ISLAMABAD (APP) : Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said that Pakistan was keen to…

6 mins ago

Bank of England moves closer to first rate cut since 2020

LONDON (Reuters): The Bank of England took another step towards lowering interest rates, as a…

6 mins ago

Deadlock on FBR’s proposal to block SIMs of non-filers persists

F.P. Report ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has yet to make a decision…

6 mins ago

WHO Europe chief calls mental health challenges ‘next pandemic’

ANKARA (AA): A top official at the World Health Organization has labeled mental health challenges…

19 mins ago

Romania opens first crowd-funded hospital

BUCHAREST (AFP): At Romania's new crowd-funded children's cancer hospital, one-year-old Eric Ivan eagerly walked up…

19 mins ago

Shifting sands of time: Nepali antique dealer reflects on a changing Kathmandu

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AA) : Sheetal Adhikari is not your typical shopkeeper. Over three decades, he…

29 mins ago

This website uses cookies.