Medical aid in dying (MAiD) is when a doctor or nurse practitioner gives medication, at the request of a person, to end that person’s life and relieve them from constant and unbearable suffering. The MAiD process takes time and planning. There are two types of MAiD requests in Quebec:
- contemporary MAiD request
- advance request for MAiD
Contemporary MAiD request
To be eligible for contemporary MAiD, a person must meet all the following criteria:
- have Quebec health insurance (a RAMQ card)
- be 18 years or older
- be able to consent to care
- be in ONE of the following situations:
- suffer from a serious and incurable illness that is characterized by an advanced and irreversible decline in capability
- have a serious physical impairment causing significant and enduring disabilities
- be in constant and unbearable physical or psychological suffering that cannot be relieved in a way that the person finds acceptable
A request for MAiD must be made freely and without any outside pressure.
MAiD is not permitted for people who only have a mental health condition.
If a person wishes to make a request for MAiD, they should speak with their healthcare team and sign the official MAiD request form.
Signing the MAiD request form must be done with a healthcare professional and an independent witness. Once the form has been signed, two doctors or nurse practitioners will evaluate the person to see if they meet the criteria in the law.
MUHC MAiD Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Sheet
Medical Aid in Dying (Gouvernement du Québec)
Advance request for MAiD
Since October 30, 2024, a person in Quebec diagnosed with a serious, incurable illness that leads to incapacity (for example, Alzheimer’s disease) can make an advance request for MAiD.
This allows a person to consent in advance to MAiD, under certain conditions, in case they can no longer provide consent when the time comes.
To be eligible to make an advance request for MAiD, the person must meet the following conditions:
- be 18 years old or older
- currently be capable of consenting to care (this must be verified by a doctor or nurse practitioner)
- have a valid RAMQ health insurance card with up-to-date personal information on file
- be diagnosed with a serious, incurable illness leading to incapacity to consent (for example, Alzheimer’s, dementia, etc.)
The request must be:
- made voluntarily, without pressure from anyone
- completed with a doctor or nurse practitioner
- signed in front of witnesses (or made with a notary)
The completed and signed form is added to the official provincial registry by the doctor/nurse practitioner. This ensures that current and future caregivers can access it when needed.
People can change or withdraw their advance request for MAiD as long as they maintain capacity.
Completing an advance request does not guarantee that medical aid in dying will be provided in the future. Two doctors/nurse practitioners must ensure all legal criteria are met when the time comes. The doctors/nurse practitioners will have to assess whether the patient:
- has a valid RAMQ health insurance card
- is diagnosed with a serious, incurable illness leading to incapacity to consent
- consistently shows the clinical symptoms described in the advance request
- is in an advanced state of irreversible decline in capability
- is in a state where healthcare professionals believe the person is experiencing persistent and unbearable suffering (physical or psychological) that cannot be relieved in an acceptable way
Advance request for medical aid in dying (Gouvernement du Québec)
Advance request for MAiD: Guide for persons and their loved ones (Gouvernement du Québec)