Medical Assistance in Dying for Multiple Chemical Sensitivities: A System Failure?
We were astonished to read a recent media news item about a 51-year-old woman in Ontario who was offered and accepted medical assistance in dying (MAID) because she was experiencing multiple chemical sensitivities, also known by its preferred diagnostic term, idiopathic environmental intolerance (I...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Programmes de bioéthique, École de santé publique de l'Université de Montréal
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Canadian Journal of Bioethics |
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| Online Access: | https://cjb-rcb.ca/index.php/cjb-rcb/article/view/563 |
| _version_ | 1811177648703930368 |
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| author | Sebastian Straube Charl Els Xiangning Fan |
| author_facet | Sebastian Straube Charl Els Xiangning Fan |
| author_sort | Sebastian Straube |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
We were astonished to read a recent media news item about a 51-year-old woman in Ontario who was offered and accepted medical assistance in dying (MAID) because she was experiencing multiple chemical sensitivities, also known by its preferred diagnostic term, idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI). Reportedly, she could not access appropriate housing. We find this concerning, as providing MAID to individuals with refractory IEI symptoms on the basis of housing unavailability implies that there were no better management options available. This case should prompt ethical reflection on whether our supports for the most vulnerable enable them to maintain basic human dignity, and whether systemic societal action in other ways could better support people with IEI.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T06:04:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e1d062eefd32422e85c07ac23df02ab8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2561-4665 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T06:04:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Programmes de bioéthique, École de santé publique de l'Université de Montréal |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Canadian Journal of Bioethics |
| spelling | doaj.art-e1d062eefd32422e85c07ac23df02ab82022-12-22T04:41:32ZengProgrammes de bioéthique, École de santé publique de l'Université de MontréalCanadian Journal of Bioethics2561-46652022-12-015410.7202/1094705arMedical Assistance in Dying for Multiple Chemical Sensitivities: A System Failure?Sebastian Straube0Charl Els1Xiangning Fan2Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, CanadaJohn Dossetor Health Ethics Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, CanadaDepartment of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada We were astonished to read a recent media news item about a 51-year-old woman in Ontario who was offered and accepted medical assistance in dying (MAID) because she was experiencing multiple chemical sensitivities, also known by its preferred diagnostic term, idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI). Reportedly, she could not access appropriate housing. We find this concerning, as providing MAID to individuals with refractory IEI symptoms on the basis of housing unavailability implies that there were no better management options available. This case should prompt ethical reflection on whether our supports for the most vulnerable enable them to maintain basic human dignity, and whether systemic societal action in other ways could better support people with IEI. https://cjb-rcb.ca/index.php/cjb-rcb/article/view/563medical assistance in dyingMAIDchemical sensitivitieshealthcare systemsocial servicesidiopathic environmental intolerance |
| spellingShingle | Sebastian Straube Charl Els Xiangning Fan Medical Assistance in Dying for Multiple Chemical Sensitivities: A System Failure? Canadian Journal of Bioethics medical assistance in dying MAID chemical sensitivities healthcare system social services idiopathic environmental intolerance |
| title | Medical Assistance in Dying for Multiple Chemical Sensitivities: A System Failure? |
| title_full | Medical Assistance in Dying for Multiple Chemical Sensitivities: A System Failure? |
| title_fullStr | Medical Assistance in Dying for Multiple Chemical Sensitivities: A System Failure? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Medical Assistance in Dying for Multiple Chemical Sensitivities: A System Failure? |
| title_short | Medical Assistance in Dying for Multiple Chemical Sensitivities: A System Failure? |
| title_sort | medical assistance in dying for multiple chemical sensitivities a system failure |
| topic | medical assistance in dying MAID chemical sensitivities healthcare system social services idiopathic environmental intolerance |
| url | https://cjb-rcb.ca/index.php/cjb-rcb/article/view/563 |
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