The Medical Legal History of Assisted Dying in Canada

Dr. Derryck Smith, Clinical Professor Emeritus, Psychiatry, will speak about The Medical Legal History of Assisted Dying in Canada. Dr. Smith is a Vancouver-based psychiatrist, still active in clinical teaching of medical students and residents. He is a past president of the BC Medical Association and a past board member of the Canadian Medical Association, as well as a past president of the Medical Legal Society. He served as Chair of the Board for the Greater Vancouver Mental Health Services Society. Dr. Smith provided an affidavit in support of legalizing medically assisted dying in the recent Gloria Taylor case in BC.

VIEWPOINT:  "As a physician, and assuming the law prohibiting physician-assisted dying were changed, I view physician-assisted dying in prescribed circumstances with appropriate safeguards (as) part of the appropriate continuum of care that I would provide a patient. This care, in my view, would be consistent with my ethical and professional obligations."