Number of assisted deaths jumped more than 30 per cent in 2022, report says – CBC

Experts, advocates dispute whether the increase is cause for concern

Oct 27, 2023

A new Health Canada report says the number of medically assisted deaths in 2022 was more than 30 per cent higher than the year prior.

Medically assisted deaths constituted 4.1 per cent of all deaths in Canada last year, said the report, which was published on Tuesday.

The report is a comprehensive overview of Canada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) law and its effects. The law is set to extend access to medical assistance in dying to those whose sole medical condition is a mental illness in March 2024.

Experts and advocates who spoke with CBC News questioned whether the MAID growth rate and the percentage of deaths should be causes for concern. Some cited perceived gaps in the data.

The report says 13,241 people received medically assisted deaths in 2022 — a 31.2 per cent jump over 2021.

It says 44,958 people have received medically assisted deaths since the introduction of federal legislation in 2016.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/maid-canada-report-2022-1.7009704