Doctor, patient discuss end-of-life treatment

CBC Ottawa's Steve Fischer captures a rare glimpse at a frank conversation between a doctor and his terminal patient about end-of life treatment. 

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Dr. Gerry Ashe, a family physician in Brockville, Ont., has helped patients with a legal but controversial treatment called palliative sedation. It involves sedating individuals during their final days when symptoms such as pain, breathlessness or delirium are intolerable.

"It's unfortunate, right now, the law in Canada, we really cannot give you a lethal overdose, or whatever," he tells his patient.

"I know, and it's not fair," responds Roxanne McMullen, whose cervical cancer has spread to her spine.

Even with the pain, McMullen says loved ones having to watch her suffer is worse.

"I don't want them to have to stand there and wait. It's not fair to them —  they didn't ask for this," she says.

"If there was any way for me to help you to end it more quickly, then I would certainly do it but it's just too risky," Ashe responds. "It would be risky for me and your family because they might be considered culpable, as well."

"I don't want that," she says. "But I do want the government to say, 'Enough's enough.' If we can put a dog down, there's no reason we can't help a human."