Assisted suicide plans for children unveiled

[miss_sterious]

The line in the sand has been officially crossed. Toronto Sick Kids allow minors to choose assisted suicide, without telling their parents.
https://www.catholicregister.org/item/2 ... 82491a4dbf

[gman313]

Wow, just Wow. I can't believe how incorrect your title is.

I am going to assume you are a bible thumper based on the fact you posted from a Christian (ie. fake news) website. But let's put some things in context from the article you posted:

"The Canadian Council of Academies is specifically looking at extending so-called assisted dying to patients under 18, psychiatric patients and patients who have expressed a preference for euthanasia before they were rendered incapable by Alzheimer's or some other disease"


"Usually, the family is intimately involved in this (end-of-life) decision-making process," they write. "If, however, a capable patient explicitly indicates that they do not want their family members involved in their decision-making, although health care providers may encourage the patient to reconsider and involve their family, ultimately the wishes of capable patients with respect to confidentiality must be respected."


"The proposed policy for Sick Kids argues that there is no meaningful ethical distinction between a patient choosing to refuse burdensome treatment and accepting an inevitable death versus patients who choose to die by chemical injection before the disease brings on death. Legally, Ontario does not require parents to be involved in a capable minor's decision to refuse further treatment, therefore there is no legal reason to require parent involvement in an assisted death, according to the Sick Kids policy."


This is for kids that have significant and terminal conditions. Not just, I don't feel well today. Have you met a child with Alzheimers, terminal cancer? It is as close to hell as one can get (since hell certainly does not exist other than in fairy tales called the bible). Who the hell (pun intended) are you to suggest what someone living with a terminal, painful, debilitating condition should do.

It is also not as simple as checking a box and they kill you. They will look at every option and encourage you to involve your family.

Sorry, but back off and leave others alone. The church should have 0 part in government and 0 part in policy. If you want to go sing go tell it on a mountain and waste your sundays that is your choice.

[jimmy4321]

https://nationalpost.com/health/sick-ki ... -to-minors

thread title is a bit much

[Omnitheo]

*removed*

[GordonH]

Unfortunately there are those out there that believe its god will for people of all ages to suffer a long & painful death, rather then die on their own terms.

When you (& you know who you are) are faced with same thing. You can live out your last days, months or years in all the pain you want (this pain comes in many forms... physical, emotional, mental etc...etc).

[Fancy]

Toronto Sick Kids allow minors to choose assisted suicide, without telling their parents.

Where did you get that idea?
Here's an excerpt from the National Post:

A team at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children has developed a draft policy on doctor-assisted dying that applies to youth aged 18 and older — the legal age restriction for “medical-aid in dying,” or MAID, in Canada.

You'll notice the wording "draft policy".

[Verum]

The word "children" in the thread title is misleading and probably intentionally so. The draft would allow 18 year olds and older to make such decision. For most Canadians, they are no longer considered minors from 18 and up and in this particular case, since they are in Ontario, they are not minors.

That the policy could one day be applied to people who are under 18 might be concerning to some, but the fact is that people under 18 die all the time and by forcing them to endure suffering to no beneficial end, to have no choice in how they get to live their lives is an unimaginably cruel attitude to take.

Should they involve their parents? It depends on a multitude of factors, but ultimately at some point we have to give these young adults the agency they deserve. If they, along with qualified medical experts decide that it is better to end their suffering rather than fruitlessly endure, why should we stand in their way, and why should their parents be free to force them to endure needless suffering?

[Fancy]

While MAID is currently available to capable patients in Canada who are 18 years or older—a small but important subsection of the population our hospital serves—we write our policy with an eye to the near future when capable young people may gain access to MAID.

The draft is geared towards younger than 18.

[gman313]

The draft is geared towards younger than 18.

your both partially correct. The draft is currently for those over 18, with the intention it eventually include those under 18

[Fancy]

I quoted the bit that said MAID is currently available to those who are 18 years or older. That was taken from the Abstract.

More here:

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/prog ... s/maid.pdf