Recent media coverage has focused on an academic paper ¹ exploring a theoretical framework that discusses how the currently established ‘dead donor rule,’ as it applies to organ donation, might be reconsidered now that medical assistance in dying (MAiD) is becoming more common.  This includes an academic discussion around the concept of ‘death by organ donation’ which could involve retrieving organs from still-living patients who have chosen MAiD.

This paper does not reflect current Canadian law or clinical practice.   It is an academic exploration of a hypothetical question. Such debate is routine and valuable in academic medicine and bioethics, but it should not be mistaken for a policy proposal or changes to clinical care.

Canada’s existing processes for both MAiD and organ donation include robust legal, ethical, and clinical safeguards. While it is possible for a person who is planning a MAiD death to become an organ or tissue donor, decisions about MAiD and organ donation are made independently.  Separate clinical teams are involved to protect patient autonomy and prevent conflicts of interest. Organ donation is considered only at the patient’s request and ONLY after an independent decision to receive MAiD has been made.

In addition, organ donation cannot be made on the spur of the moment (i.e. at the time of a MAiD death) as there are detailed assessment and screening processes that must be undertaken before a person can be accepted as an organ donor.

In a similar way, some persons who have been approved for MAiD may wish to donate their bodies to medical schools or to tissue/brain banks for academic purposes.  These decisions are also made well in advance of the MAiD provision, and only at the specific request of the individual.

CAMAP remains committed to safe, ethical, evidence-informed MAiD care and to ensuring Canadians receive accurate information about the laws, safeguards, and clinical practices governing MAiD.

For CAMAP members, the patient always comes first. Every MAiD assessment and provision is patient-centered, with a focus on informed consent, patient autonomy, and compassionate, ethical care.

CAMAP welcomes thoughtful discussion of complex ethical questions as academic debate plays an important role in medicine and bioethics. It is important, however, that theoretical discussions are clearly distinguished from current clinical practice so that Canadians receive accurate information about MAiD and organ donation.

1. Winberg CC, Ball I, Truog R. Contextualizing the Dead Donor Rule in an Era of Voluntary Euthanasia.  NEJM 2026; 395: 194-200