LAUSR

The article by Beardsley et al. was passed on to me because of its relevance to my group. I found it comprehensive, but I have noted an error, and I ask that this be corrected. Under the heading “International experience with VAD”, it was mentioned that “Euthanasia is practiced in various forms in Belgium, Columbia, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Canada (in Quebec)...”. It is correct that Quebec, Canada, passed their Act Respecting End of Life Care in 2014, which included that terminally ill patients could request medical assistance in dying, and this Act had input from, and the endorsement of, the Quebec Medical bodies. Since then however, the Supreme Court of Canada, February 2015, in a unanimous decision by nine judges stated ‘The prohibition on physician-assisted dying infringes the right to life, liberty and security of the person in a manner that is not in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice’, and the Canadian Parliament has since passed (in June 2016) their Medical Assistance in Dying Bill C-14 with the support and input of the Canadian Medical Association. Hawaii should also now be included in the list of USA states with voluntary assisted dying choice. Readers may also find of interest the fact that a Canadian doctor was given an ethics award for his work in developing medical assistance in dying. ‘An Alberta physician, who led the development of the province’s framework for medically assisted dying, will be awarded with one of the Canadian Medical Association’s (CMA) highest honours’. Dr Jim Silvius, based in Calgary, will receive the 2017 CMA’s Dr William Marsden Award in Medical Ethics, which is ‘presented to recognize a CMA member who has demonstrated exemplary leadership, commitment and dedication to the cause of advancing and promoting excellence in the field of medical ethics in Canada’.