University of Minnesota presents:

Ten states and the District of Columbia currently have statutes on the books or a court decision that authorizes medical aid in dying (often called MAID) for adults who are terminally ill. Many additional states, including Minnesota, are debating similar legislation. First legalized in 1997 under the Oregon Death with Dignity Act, these state statutes authorize doctors to prescribe lethal medication that the patient may choose to take. No U.S. state statute authorizes euthanasia. Evolution of state law continues, including reexamination of the state residency requirements. In 2016, Canada authorized both provision of a lethal prescription and euthanasia. Starting in 2027, Canada plans to enlarge eligibility to patients whose only underlying condition is a mental illness. Canada has faced significant pushback from human rights advocates and disability rights organizations, suggesting the nation’s legal framework lacks the necessary oversight and safeguards to protect vulnerable populations. Our three panelists are experts on the law, ethics, and clinical realities of medical aid in dying, in both the U.S. and Canada. They bring different perspectives and disciplines to this important debate. This presentation is free and open to the public.

Audience members will be able to ask questions of multidisciplinary experts:

Thaddeus Mason Pope, JD, PhD, HEC-C
Professor of Law
Director of the Health Law Institute
Mitchell Hamline School of Law
Recent Publications:
Top Ten New and Needed Expansions of U.S. Medical Aid in Dying Laws, American Journal of Bioethics
Medical Aid in Dying: Key Variations Among U.S. Laws, Journal of Health and Life Sciences Law

K. Sonu Gaind, MD
Professor of Medicine, Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Co-Director, Adult Psychiatry & Health Systems Division, University of Toronto
Chief of Psychiatry, Humber River Hospital
Recent Publications:
The Realities of Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada, Palliative & Supportive Care
Response to Medical Assistance in Dying, Palliative Care, Safety, and Structural Vulnerability, Journal of Palliative Medicine

Nancy Berlinger, PhD
Senior Research Scholar Director, Visiting Scholar Program The Hastings Center
Recent Publications:
Facing Dementia: Clarifying End-of-Life Choices, Supporting Better Lives, Hastings Center Report
Choice in the Context of Dementia: Emerging Issues for Health Care Practice in Aging Societies, Hastings Center Report

Moderated by:

Susan M. Wolf, JD
Regents Professor and McKnight Presidential Professor of Law, Medicine & Public Policy
Faegre Baker Daniels Professor of Law
Professor of Medicine
Chair, Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences
University of Minnesota

Francis X. Shen, JD, PhD
Professor of Law and Solly Robbins Distinguished Research Fellow
Co-Chair, Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences
University of Minnesota