Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & Culture A Christian Response to Physician Assisted Suicide — Perspective from Canada (with Ewan Goligher)
Sep 30, 2025
Dr. Ewan Goligher, a critical care physician and author, shares insights on physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia in Canada. He discusses the rapid growth of these practices and the moral implications for healthcare providers. Goligher emphasizes the motivations driving patients towards euthanasia, often rooted in feelings of being a burden rather than pain. He warns against the risks of coercion and argues for the intrinsic value of human life, urging the Christian community to provide loving alternatives and support for those in need.
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Scope And Scale In Canada
- Medical aid in dying covers both assisted suicide (patient ingests drugs) and euthanasia (clinician administers drugs).
- Canada legalized these practices nearly 10 years ago and over 60,000 Canadians have used them.
Rapid Normalization Of Practice
- Canada reached about 6% of deaths by assisted death within a decade, a rapid increase compared with European countries.
- The speed of normalization distinguishes Canada's growth from the slower rise in places like the Netherlands and Belgium.
Pressure On Physicians To Comply
- Physicians rarely have firm grounds to refuse requests because eligibility criteria are subjective and patient-centered.
- Regulatory policies can pressure objecting doctors to refer patients to willing providers, creating moral tension.
