The number of Canadians opting for medically-assisted death rose 29 per cent between the first and last six months of 2017, according to new numbers released on Thursday by Health Canada.
In total, 1,525 people had medical assistance in dying between July and December 2017, compared to 875 in the previous six-month period.
A total of 3,714 people died this way between when the practice was introduced in June 2016 and the end of Dec. 2017.
The majority of deaths are linked to cancer-related illnesses. Other cases cited neuro-degenerative and circulatory or respiratory conditions.
Many people also had their requests for a medically-assisted death denied – 1,066 requests were denied in that six-month period. The two major reasons given were “loss of competency” and that their death was not reasonably foreseeable. In 149 cases, the individual died before their request was processed.
Most medically-assisted deaths occurred in the patient’s home, followed closely by in hospital.
The average age of a person who died with medical assistance was 73 years old.
Health Canada estimates that medically-assisted death accounts for only about one per cent of all deaths in Canada.