Advocates hail judge’s decision in woman’s assisted death appeal
Toronto Star
A 77-year-old woman seeking medical assistance in dying has a “reasonably foreseeable” natural death, a judge declared Monday in an attempt to clear up uncertainty that left her doctor unwilling to perform the end-of-life procedure for fear of a murder charge.
The decision has been hailed by advocates for clarifying a confusing part of the assisted-dying legislation.
Two doctors found that the woman, known under a publication ban as AB, qualified for medical assistance in dying.
But the first doctor later said he was “uncomfortable” performing the procedure because another doctor had disagreed that the woman met the requirement of a reasonably foreseeable natural death, and because of the vagueness of the term “reasonably foreseeable.” . . . [Full text]