Consultation 025

Female Genital Mutilation, Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), Safe Prescribing For Opioid Use Disorder

This consultation closed on Jan. 11, 2023.

About the consultation

Female Genital Mutilation

On May 31, 2022, Health Professions (Protecting Women and Girls) Amendment Act, 2022 (formerly Bill 10) received royal assent and came into effect. The amendment requires regulatory colleges in Alberta, including CPSA, to adopt a standard of practice that addresses female genital mutilation by their members. To respond to this amendment, CPSA drafted the Female Genital Mutilation standard of practice.

Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID)

CPSA issued the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) standard of practice in 2016, when MAID was first legalized in Canada for individuals with terminal illnesses. In 2021, Bill C-7 came into effect, which expanded the eligibility of MAID to include individuals with non-terminal physical conditions. On March 17, 2023, individuals whose sole underlying medical condition is mental illness will become eligible for MAID under Bill C-7. To comply with this upcoming change, CPSA updated our Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) standard of practice.

Safe Prescribing for Opioid Use Disorder

On Oct. 5, 2022, the Alberta Government updated the Mental Health Services Protection Regulation, impacting the treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) involving high-potency opioid narcotics.

This change does not apply to the treatment of patients on high-potency opioid narcotics for chronic pain or any other indications outside of OUD treatment. However, individuals with severe OUD or addiction who have not been able to initiate or stabilize on conventional Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT) must be treated through Alberta Health’s (NTS). As a result of this change, CPSA updated our Safe Prescribing for Opioid Use Disorder standard of practice.

Your opinion matters

Your feedback is important to us as it helps us develop clear, reasonable expectations and helpful, applicable resources. We appreciate the time you took and the input you provided.

CPSA members, partner organizations, other healthcare professionals and Albertans were invited to provide feedback from Dec. 12, 2022 to Jan. 11, 2023.

Anonymized feedback will be considered by Council at their February meeting. Once amendments are finalized and approved by Council, members will be notified by email and The Messenger newsletter.

We respect your privacy

All feedback is subject to CPSA’s Privacy Statement. CPSA reviews all comments before publication to ensure there is no offensive language, personal attacks or unsubstantiated allegations.

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