Podcast: Amir Attaran and the elves: A law professor makes much ado

Podcast: Amir Attaran and the elves: A law professor makes much adoA response to   “Doctors can’t refuse to help a patient die – no matter what they say”, a column by University of Ottawa law professor Amir Attaran.  He refers to  the alleged “corrosive hostility” of the Canadian Medical Association to “physician-assisted dying” and its “cowardly and stupid” position on the procedure, including support for physician freedom of conscience. [Full text – Amir Attaran and the elves]

Podcast Contents

Introduction (00 – 01:40)

Attaran: CMA siding with “bigots”  (02:11 –  4:50  )

Attaran: “they cannot refuse”  (05:23 – 06:33)

What Professor Attaran left out  (06:34 – 08:15 )

Professor  Attaran then and now  (08:50 – 09:56)

Law on abortion vs. law on homicide  (09:57 – 11:32)

A difference in perspective  (11:33  – 13:12)

What else Professor Attaran left out  (13:13 – 18:38)

Getting the facts backwards  (19:11 – 20:50 )

Podcast: Canadian Medical Association draft framework on euthanasia and assisted suicide

Podcast: Canadian Medical Association draft framework on euthanasia and assisted suicideOn August 25, 2015, delegates at the 148th Annual General Council of the Canadian Medical Association will be voting on a draft policy framework for euthanasia and assisted suicide.

The draft document warrants close attention because of its potential impact on freedom of conscience among health care workers who do not want to be involved with these procedures.

This podcast supplements the Project’s commentary on the draft framework, which includes an on-line annotated version.

Podcast Contents

Introduction (00:00-06:35)

  • The problem of referral
  • “Providing” or “participating”?

Principles Based Approach to Assisted Dying in Canada (07:09-11:27)

  • Carter v. Canada
  • Strategic Questions

Schedule A: Foundational Principles (11:27-19:05)

  • Equity
  • Respect for physician values
  • Solidarity

Schedule A: Recommendations (19:38-27:33)

  • Patient qualifications
    • Informed decision
    • Capacity
  • Process map for medical decision making
    • Stage 1 & 2: Requesting; Before undertaking
    • Stage 3: After undertaking

Schedule A: Recommendations (28:07-31:02)

  • Conscientious objection by a physician

Schedule B: Legislative criteria across jurisdictions (31:35-35:00)

  • Q3: Reconcile refusal and equitable access?

Summing up (35:32-39:12)