About medical aid in dying

The Act Respecting End-of-Life Care is designed to provide a framework for palliative care and medical aid in dying.

Situations involving serious and incurable illnesses, or severe physical impairments leading to significant and persistent disabilities, can be difficult to cope with. It is possible that, for a minority of people experiencing such situations, the support offered and quality care, including palliative care, may not be sufficient to relieve significant suffering satisfactorily. The Act Respecting End-of-Life Care offers an additional option for those whose therapeutic, curative, and palliative options have been deemed unsatisfactory and who would rather die than continue to suffer.

Although a mental disorder can, in certain cases, be a serious illness that can cause significant suffering, it must be understood that it is not an illness for which a person can request medical aid in dying.

Medical aid in dying involves the administration of medication by a competent professional (physician or specialized nurse practitioner) to a person, at their request, in order to relieve their suffering by bringing about their death. This care is available in all institutions in Québec’s health and social services network and in palliative care hospices. It is also possible to request medical aid in dying at home.

Medical aid in dying is an exceptional form of care and its access is subject to very strict legal eligibility criteria.

If you are in a situation that is causing you suffering, do not hesitate to consult a health or social services professional for support, or call 811 if you don't have access to such a professional.