A Vancouver palliative care physician who opted to step down rather than approve patient transfers for medical assistance in dying (MAID) testified in B.C. Supreme Court this week. Dr. Jyothi Jayaraman, along with two other plaintiffs, is challenging the constitutionality of faith-based health-care facilities funded by the public that prohibit MAID on their premises.
In her testimony, Jayaraman explained her resignation from providing palliative care at two Vancouver hospices in early 2023 due to the transition of one facility to Providence Health Care. Providence, a defendant in the case, prohibits MAID in its facilities based on the Catholic church’s stance against euthanasia. This policy required Jayaraman to approve patient transfers instead of providing MAID in their rooms, aligning with the institution’s religious beliefs.
Jayaraman shared that she had facilitated MAID for 44 patients who had to be transferred to other facilities to undergo the procedure. She expressed in her affidavit the distress caused by witnessing the physical, psychological, and spiritual suffering resulting from these forced transfers.
During cross-examination by Shauna Gersbach, representing Vancouver Coastal Health, it was highlighted that adjacent spaces for MAID provision have been established next to hospitals and hospices operated by Providence. Jayaraman had been the MAID provider for the first two patients at Shoreline, the adjacent space near St. Paul’s Hospital, as evidenced by an email praising the smooth procedures and patient-centered care.
Despite these accommodations, Jayaraman emphasized that not providing MAID at the bedside, when feasible, contributes to patient suffering, which she finds troubling. She asserted that any compromise short of patients accessing MAID at a faith-based facility would conflict with her moral and ethical convictions, emphasizing her stance against such compromises.
Jayaraman also pointed out in her affidavit that even transfers to adjacent spaces could disrupt the final moments of a patient’s life, which she believes should be spent in a tranquil and sacred environment. The lawsuit involves the Province of British Columbia, Providence Health Care, and Vancouver Coastal Health as defendants, with the plaintiffs expected to conclude their case soon, followed by the defense presenting its evidence.