The number of Canadians receiving medical assistance in dying (MAID) has increased every year since the federal law authorizing it was passed.
Statistics Canada reported on Monday that according to available data, in 2017, 2,838 medically assisted deaths were reported by Health Canada, compared to 4,478 in 2018, and 5,425 in 2019.
This number rose to 7,383 in 2020, which represented 2.4% of all deaths in Canada and was a 36% increase in the number of MAID recipients compared to 2019.
In 2019 and 2020, 75.5% of applicants for medical assistance in dying eventually received it. These individuals, who were on average 74.8 years old, had to submit a written request and be assessed by two practitioners who had to determine that they met the eligibility criteria.
One of these criteria is that the patient experiences intolerable physical or psychological pain related to an underlying medical condition.
Statistics Canada reports that cancer was cited as the underlying medical condition in over 67.5% and chronic respiratory disease (11.2%).
Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada and is responsible for the death of more than one in four Canadians.
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