MAID lawsuit shines spotlight on faith-based health organizations

St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, B.C. is run by Providence Health Care. The Catholic organization is being sued, along with the B.C. government, over access to medical assistance in dying . A recent lawsuit over access to medical assistance in dying in some hospitals in British Columbia has put the practices of religious health organizations in the spotlight.

Samantha O'Neill running in an unspecified race. O'Neill was suffering from Stage 4 cervical cancer when she chose a medically assisted death in April 2023 at the age of 34. The ability for religious health organizations to opt out of certain health services in B.C. is outlined in a 1995 master agreement between the province and the Denominational Health Association.

However, according to the Catholic Health Alliance of Canada's health ethics guide, Catholic-run hospitals cannot perform abortions, will not provide contraception and will not perform any type of sterilization to prevent future pregnancies. "We all expect to be able to get the health care we need, regardless of where we are. And I think that as citizens who pay taxes, we should also expect that the health-care facilities are going to be based on health-care and science and not based on faith beliefs."Premier David Eby said last week the government is negotiating with Providence Health Care over what services will be provided at the new $2.1 billion St. Paul's Hospital, which is slated to open in 2027.

After Samantha O'Neill's parents, Jim and Gaye O'Neill, went public with their concerns, B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix announced in November that his ministry would set up a clinical space next to St. Paul's where MAID could be provided with the oversight of Vancouver Coastal Health staff. Nine of those patients were transferred out of St. Paul's, four each from Mount Saint Joseph Hospital and May's Place Hospice in Vancouver, and two from St. John Hospice on the University of B.C. campus.

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