Medical Assistance In Dying (MAID)

Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) is available at UHN for eligible patients.

• Medical Assistance in Dying, or MAID, is an end-of-life care option that is legal in Canada
• There are safeguards and eligibility criteria in the law for adults who make this personal decision on their own
• The law allows only doctors and nurse practitioners to assess eligibility and prescribe or provide the medications for MAID
• Patients who are requesting MAID must meet all legal requirements and procedural safeguards before MAID can be provided

An eligible patient must:

1. Be at least 18 years old
2. Be eligible for (able to get) government funded health insurance in Canada (for example, OHIP)
3. Be able to make health care decisions
4. Have a serious and incurable illness (illness that cannot be cured) that causes intolerable suffering (suffering that a person can no longer endure)
5. Be in an advanced state of irreversible decline (a permanent condition that cannot be reversed)
6. Make a request for MAID freely and without pressure from anyone else (your decision only)
7. Give informed consent to get MAID (consenting to MAID after receiving all information needed to make this choice

• Two independent doctors or nurse practitioners must each complete an assessment and confirm that all eligibility requirements are met
• A request for MAID must be in writing (a written request form is available and must be signed in front of one independent witness)
• After a patient is deemed eligible, there are procedural safeguards that the MAID assessors must follow, based on whether or not a person’s natural death is reasonably foreseeable
• The health care team will take measures (such as, having interpreters available) to ensure the patient can understand the information and communicate their decision.
• The patient’s decision for MAID must be their own to make
• A person who is requesting MAID can withdraw their request or change their mind at any time and in any manner

For patients who have questions about MAID at UHN, please talk to your health care team.

For patients who have questions about MAID at home or in the community setting, information is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through the Ontario MAID Care Coordination Service information line at 1-866-286-4023. Their referral services are available Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm EST. Patients can self-refer to the Ontario MAID Care Coordination Service, and they may also provide direction to family members/caregivers or their primary health care provider to refer on their behalf. Their intake service is available English and French (translations for other languages can also be requested). TTY services are also available at 1-844-953-3350.

Additional Resources

• Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care – MAID Website
• Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care – MAID Information for patients (PDF)
• Bill C-7 Changes to MAID Legislation – Health Canada
• Government of Canada – MAID Website