Euthanasia and MAiD policy scrutiny

Concerns regarding the application of euthanasia and medical assistance in dying (MAiD) laws have emerged in Canada and Belgium.

In Canada, psychiatry professors from the University of Toronto have warned that the system may be approving requests too readily. They noted that individuals facing social challenges, such as poverty or loneliness, may be seeking the procedure. One cited case involved a woman in her 70s who sought euthanasia after losing her ability to cook for her family, which had provided her with a sense of purpose. Experts argue that current laws do not sufficiently require clinicians to direct patients toward counseling or practical assistance before pursuing assisted death.

In Belgium, data from the Federal Commission for the Control and Evaluation of Euthanasia shows a significant rise in cases, with deaths increasing from 259 in 2003 to 4,487 in 2025. Statistics indicate that while 75.8 percent of cases involved patients whose deaths were expected in the foreseeable future, 24.2 percent involved individuals not nearing natural death. The reports also noted instances involving minors and advance requests.