 |
| Dr Paul Saba |
Dr Saba is a family physicians from Lachine Quebec who is well known for his clinical experience for caring for patients with disabilities and difficult health conditions.
His presentation was delivered in English and French.
People with only a mental disorder will be euthanized as of March 17, 2027. This, despite the overwhelming evidence that people with mental disorders can be treated, and that most psychiatrists cannot determine which patient has an irremediable (irreversible) condition.
From a legal standpoint, those with mental disorders requesting euthanasia which has been euphemistically called medical assistance in dying (MAID), do not meet the condition of free and informed consent because the desire to die is in most cases a symptom of mental illness.
Bill C-218 which will be voted this week in Ottawa, would stop euthanizing (MAID) people with mental health disorders as the sole criterion. This bill must be supported by our Members of Parliament.
Dans la plupart des cas, le désir de mourir est un symptôme de maladie mentale.
90% des personnes qui mettent fin à leurs jours sont atteintes d'un trouble mental au moment de leur suicide. La plupart des personnes qui ont tenté ou réussi à se suicider ne veulent pas mourir ; ils veulent plutôt échapper à leur détresse émotionnelle
Selon une étude de la Harvard School of Public Health, 90% personnes ayant tenté de se suicider sans succès ne se sont pas suicidées après le traitement. Avec le bon traitement, le suicide a disparu.
In most cases the desire to die is a symptom of mental illness.
According to a Harvard School of Public Health study, 9 out of 10 people who attempted suicide but were unsuccessful in their attempt, did not commit suicide following treatment. With the right treatment, suicide disappeared.
One of my patient’s who couldn’t be here today, asked me to tell her story. In her 20’s she was a mother of three small children. She was involved in an abusive relationship. To end her emotional anguish she attempted suicide by hanging. Her neighbour found her and removed the cord around her neck saving her life. If she had been euthanized she wouldn’t have survived because euthanasia with a lethal injection is a guaranteed death- no survivors. Today she’s happy to be alive and mothered another son and has 4 grandchildren.
La plupart des personnes atteintes de troubles mentaux ont besoin du soutien de psychiatres, de psychologues et de travailleurs sociaux qui sont rares dans notre système de santé publique.
Beaucoup vivent dans des situations financières et sociales précaires. Ils ont besoin d’un soutien financier, notamment d’un logement abordable et d’une sécurité alimentaire.
Au Québec, le délai moyen d'attente entre la référence à un psychiatre et le traitement est de 5 mois.
Most people with mental health conditions need support from psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers, who are scarce in our public healthcare system.
Many live in precarious financial and social situations. They need financial support, including affordable housing and food security.
In Quebec, the average wait time between a referral to a psychiatrist and treatment is five months.
In Quebec, where the waiting time is to see a psychiatrist after being referred is at least five months and most cases longer. In the MAID law next year a patient after being accepted for euthanasia will have a three month wait before the lethal injection is given.
With an average five month waiting time to see a psychiatrist, it’s likely that that a person would get a call to see a psychiatrist 2 months or longer after having been legally injected.
In addition to psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers we must ensure access to a wide variety of alternative treatments, including art, music, dance, pet, recreation and other therapies. We must also ensure free medications, affordable housing, and food security.
A study published in Sage Journal last year 2025 explored the potential cost savings to governments by expanding medical assisted dying to include vulnerable groups with mental illness. These groups included people those with mental health issues, the homeless, drug users, retired, elderly, and indigenous communities. They estimated projected savings of $1.273 trillion between 2027- 2047 with an estimated 2.6 million deaths in the voluntary group mostly the mentally ill and elderly populations.
I quote the authors of the journal:
"this cost-saving measure raises significant ethical concerns. Financially incentivizing MAiD could shift healthcare priorities away from providing necessary support, potentially devaluing vulnerable lives and fostering a troubling reliance on assisted death as an economic solution."Les personnes atteintes de problème de santé mentale ont besoin de soins, de traitements et de soutien. Ils ne doivent pas être euthanasiés (AMM).
Ils doivent voter en faveur du projet de loi C-218 et non pour l’euthanasie des personnes ayant des problèmes de santé mentale.
People with mental health problems need care, treatment, and support. They should not be euthanized (MAID).
Members of Parliament need to vote in favour of Bill C-218, not for the euthanasia of people with mental health problems.
Previous articles and comments by Dr Paul Saba (Articles Link).
No comments:
Post a Comment