Advance Requests for Medical Assistance in Dying in the International Context: Some Legal Issues for the Canadian Case

Abstract

An advance request for medical assistance in dying (ARM) is a document that allows individuals to request euthanasia if they lose their decision-making capacity. Currently, it is available in all countries where medical assistance in dying is permitted for individuals suffering from a serious and incurable illness whose natural death is not reasonably foreseeable, except in Canada. In this country, various citizen and parliamentary initiatives are considering the inclusion of this document in national legislation. This article presents for the first time a compilation of all ARM regulations worldwide. Analysis of the international framework suggests that the requirements for drafting an ARM could influence the effective implementation of patients' wishes.