Continuous Palliative Sedation Therapy (CPST) is receiving increasing attention recently as it is often being offered as an alternative to MAiD. This means that more physicians may be considering using the treatment – without necessarily being familiar/competent to use it.
The Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians (CSPCP) strongly recommends that all physicians create or adopt a specific policy on CPST for their practice group or institution. This will ensure that CPST is a transparent practice that is easily distinguished from practices that hasten death and subject to best practice.
We have prepared a statement to this effect. It includes links to sample policies.