Canadian soldier suffering with PTSD offered euthanasia by Veterans Affairs

An employee of Veterans Affairs Canada offered medical assistance to a Canadian armed forces veteran who was dying of a traumatic brain injury.

Last week, the VAC admitted to an incident where medical assistance in dying was discussed with a veteran. According to a report in Global News, the department promised to take appropriate administrative action after the veteran expressed outrage at the suggestion.

According to the report, an employee of the VAC brought up medical assistance in dying, unprompted, when a veteran called to ask for help with post traumatic stress disorder. The veteran was surprised. The soldier's family told Global News that he felt betrayed by an agency that is tasked with assisting veterans, as he had been making positive progress in his rehabilitation.

Veterans and military service members are in need of better sleep.

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Concerns have been raised that the exchange may not have been an isolated incident, leading to questions about how often the agency has offered or discussed MAID with those suffering fromPTSD.

After the incident resulted in several complaints, the agency apologized to the veteran in a follow up call.

The MAID procedure was legalized in Canada in 2016 MAID will be made available to people suffering from mental disorders.

The VAC is in charge of the care of a population that is at higher risk of suicide.

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Advice regarding medical assistance in dying is not a VAC service.

The Canadian government introduced a new suicide prevention strategy for military personnel and veterans. Training was given to medical staff on how to respond to the warning signs of suicide.

The advice regarding Medical assistance in dying is not a service offered by the VAC.

The case managers, veteran service agents, and veteran service team managers have no role to play in dying to veterans. Considerations for medical assistance in dying are the subject of discussions between a patient and their primary care providers. Through the provincial and territorial health authorities, it is administered directly to the individual by a doctor.

What happened is being investigated. There have been no other similar incidents. The incident is not indicative of a pattern of behavior.