Before we jump in, here’s a question: do you need a break from news about MAID?
I ask because I think I might need that break. Of course, the news about MAID really is very important, but when you pay too much attention and if you’re easily confused like me, the mental tax is high.
This week, let’s balance it out a bit. Let’s start with some reproductive ethics.
From The Conversation:
This is a fantastic article providing an overview of the abortion debate, with readings that even experts should read. If you would like to be well-versed on this topic, (which you probably should be), take a look!
Here’s an exceprt:
But “my body, my choice” doesn’t fully capture the key ideas, argued Elizabeth Lanphier, a moral philosopher and bioethicist at the University of Cincinnati. Reproductive rights aren’t just about a lack of interference, what philosophers call “negative liberty.” Abortion is also about the right to access health care.
From CTV News:
If you’re from Ontario, you must have heard of our Premier Doug Ford’s plan to introduce private-pay clinics in an effort to reduce the incredibly long surgical waitlist. For a Canadian, this is an eye-brow raiser. Why? Because it introduces a private pay model in our famously public system. Read as: it’s complicated!
There’s plenty of history where this came from, so with new developments on this story, I will be sure to find appropriate resources for you. Right now, I can’t quite say if this is the worst idea or the best idea. I think it is important for us to assess the plan itself without allowing our feelings about Doug Ford to cloud our judgement…
From CTV News:
Despite your possible MAID fatigue, this is still important for you to know. Just the headline alone caused a bit of a firestorm on Twitter.
The headline is a bit of a litmus test, isn’t it? Some see this as the path to a dystopian purgatory, and some see this as a hopeful way for MAID recipients to find some utility in their deaths.
From The Globe and Mail:
Perhaps it was the communitarian in me that always seemed to wonder, “What about the families of MAID recipients? What about their grief?”
Perhaps the individualist in me never really asked those questions out loud. The principle of patient autonomy in Canada goes very far, and it often is prioritized at the expense of family members. It makes sense when you think about it - what obligation does a physician even have toward a patient’s family?
If we take a moment, however, to explore a family’s grief, this article is a good place to start.
Here is an excerpt:
In the final decision, Canada’s MAID law leans heavily toward patient autonomy. What counts as intolerable suffering is a subjective condition, only truly understood by the one who suffers – and even critics of the proposed expansion say that treatment is the patient’s choice. But people are not only individuals; they exist in relationships with others. Those human connections clearly factor into MAID decisions: According to Health Canada, 35 per cent of Canadians who received MAID in 2021 said feeling like a burden to family, friends and caregivers was among the reasons, and 17 per cent cited loneliness and isolation.
“It’s an impoverished view of autonomy,” says Christopher Lyon, who was given two days’ notice that his father was scheduled to receive an assisted death in July, 2021. “It separates us from our context.”
That’s all for this week, friends. Do let me know above if MAID fatigue is getting to you. Regardless, I think the developments still deserve coverage. What else would you like me to cover and share? Don’t hesitate to let me know - I love hearing from you!
Wishing you a warm and sunny week ahead! Wishing the same for me!
-Nipa
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