Article content

Doctor-assisted suicide could save Canada tens of millions of dollars annually by avoiding costly “end-of-life” care, according to a provocative new analysis.

The savings — up to $139 million annually — will almost certainly dwarf the costs associated with helping dying patients kill themselves, University of Calgary researchers report.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Doctor-assisted suicide could save Canada up to $139 million each year, Alberta study suggests Back to video

The authors go to pains to state they aren’t suggesting people be voluntarily euthanized to save money. “Neither patients nor physicians should consider costs when making the very personal decision to request, or provide, this intervention,” they write in this week’s issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

However, their attempt to cost out the controversial practice is an issue many have avoided touching.

Health care costs increase dramatically in the final month

According to the authors, “as death approaches, health care costs increase dramatically in the final months. Patients who choose medical assistance in dying may forgo this resource-intensive period.”