Update on Canada’s “Medical Assistance in Dying” (MAID) – aka "assisted suicide” by medics – more "capacity" added but more needed to satisfy demand – 45,000 dead since 2016

From here:

Fourth annual report on Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada 2022 - Canada.ca

“Growth in the number of medically assisted deaths in Canada continues in 2022.

·        In 2022, there were 13,241 MAID provisions reported in Canada, accounting for 4.1% of all deaths in Canada.

·        The number of cases of MAID in 2022 represents a growth rate of 31.2% over 2021. All provinces except Manitoba and the Yukon continue to experience a steady year-over-year growth in 2022.

·        When all data sources are considered, the total number of medically assisted deaths reported in Canada since the introduction of federal MAID legislation in 2016 is 44,958.”

4.1% of deaths = one in 25 deaths were MAID deaths.

Trends in numbers of those providing MAID.

The total number of practitioners providing MAID continues to grow, and primary care physicians remain as the principal MAID providers.

·        The total number of unique practitioners providing MAID during 2022 was 1,837, up 19.1% from 1,542 in 2021.  95.0% of all MAID practitioners were physicians, while 5.0% were nurse practitioners.

·        Among physicians, family physicians conduct the majority of MAID provisions (67.7%), consistent with previous years results.

·        Nurse practitioners are providing an increasing share of MAID provisions. Physicians performed 90.6% of all MAID procedures during 2022, while nurse practitioners performed 9.4% of all MAID procedures, up from 8.4% in 2021 and from 7.0% in 2019.

·        In 2022, the average number of MAID provisions per practitioner was 7.2, compared to 6.5 (2021), 5.8 (2020) and 5.1 (2019).

Demographics of those receiving MAID

Profile of MAID recipients

·        In 2022, a slightly larger proportion of males (51.4%) than females (48.6%) received MAID. This result is consistent with 2021 (52.3% males and 47.7% females), 2020 (51.9% males and 48.1%  females) and 2019 (50.9% males and 49.1% females).

·        The average age of individuals at the time MAID was provided in 2022 was 77.0 years. This average age is slightly higher than the averages of 2019 (75.2), 2020 (75.3) and 2021 (76.3). The average age of females during 2022 was 77.9, compared to males at 76.1.

·        Cancer (63.0%) is the most cited underlying medical condition among MAID provisions in 2022, down from 65.6% in 2021 and from a high of 69.1% in 2020. This is followed by cardiovascular conditions (18.8%), other conditions (14.9%), respiratory conditions (13.2%) and neurological conditions (12.6%).

·        In 2022, 3.5% of the total number of MAID provisions (463 individuals), were individuals whose natural deaths were not reasonably foreseeable. This is an increase from 2.2% in 2021 (223 individuals). The most cited underlying medical condition for this population was neurological (50.0%), followed by other conditions (37.1%), and multiple comorbidities (23.5%), which is similar to 2021 results. The average age of individuals receiving MAID whose natural death was not reasonably foreseeable was 73.1 years, slightly higher than 70.1 in 2021 but lower than the average age of 77.0 for all MAID recipients in 2022.

News Addicts covered the story here:

Canada Now Euthanizes an Average 36 Citizens Every Day - News Addicts

It made these comments:

“Data shows that 81% of written requests for MAID were granted. However, of the remaining 19%, only 3.5% of applicants were deemed ineligible for MAID, a number which has been declining since 2019.

The majority of those denied government-assisted suicide whose natural death was “reasonably foreseeable” were refused due to a lack of patient capacity.

This means that individuals within this category were solely refused because of the lack of beds available, and they would have been euthanized if space permitted.”

The last sentence can be put in the context of this from the government report:

“In 2022, private residences continued to be the primary setting (39.5%) for the administration of MAID in Canada. This is down from 44.2% in 2021 and 47.6% in 2020,”

“MAID in hospitals in 2022 was 30.5%, slightly higher than 2021 (28.6%) but lower than 36.4% in 2019.”

“Palliative care facilities were the setting for 20.8% of MAID provisions, up slightly from 19.6% in 2021, and similar to 2019. MAID provisions in residential care facilities were up slightly in 2022 (7.6%)”

MAID per population rates per Province for 2022 are here:

Fourth annual report on Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada 2022 - Canada.ca

Here’s a ranked order with MAID rates per million for 2022.

I wonder what the different provincial demographics and numbers of health/social care workers per population are that make QC require three times more MAID’s than MB.

Perhaps it has to do with the number of “extended families living close together” or something. Maybe the “State” cannot provide the necessary emotional family support which increases MAID demand.

Onwards!

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