Opinion: My mother killed herself. I wish assisted suicide had been an option
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The author recalls her mother's repeated suicide attempts beginning in 1999 and her death in 2016, and calls for medical assistance in dying (MAiD) to be an option for patients with terminal psychiatric illness. MAiD for psychiatric illness is currently available only in Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Luxembourg. Canada was set to launch its program in March 2027, but on Oct. 7 announced an indefinite delay, with Justice Minister Simon Fraser citing inadequate access to mental health services.
Excerpted from STAT
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- STATOpinion: My mother killed herself. I wish assisted suicide had been an option
The author recalls her mother's repeated suicide attempts beginning in 1999 and her death in 2016, and calls for medical assistance in dying (MAiD) to be an option for patients with terminal psychiatric illness. MAiD for psychiatric illness is currently available only in Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Luxembourg. Canada was set to launch its program in March 2027, but on Oct. 7 announced an indefinite delay, with Justice Minister Simon Fraser citing inadequate access to mental health services.
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Reports so far 1·Heat now 9·Peak heat 10 (Oct 19 17:00)·Reports, 24h +1
Two panels, same clock (pointer stays in sync): top is cumulative editorial reports — only rises; last point = All reports; slope = new reports that hour. Bottom is Live-board heatIndex — 7-day participants with a 24-hour half-life, so it can fall when talk cools.