First, do no harm: the proposed definition of “terminal anorexia” is fraught with danger for vulnerable individuals

Abstract

Abstract A recent article in the Journal of Eating Disorders (10:23, 2022) proposed criteria for “terminal anorexia” with a cited goal of improving access to end-of-life care (Gaudiani et al. in J Eat Disord 10(1):23, 2022). The authors presented three cases in which patients received end-of-life care, including the prescription of medical assistance in dying (MAID), also known as physician-assisted suicide (PAS). The proposed criteria lack the evidence base for adoption and do not acknowledge the compelling evidence that exists surrounding possible prolonged timelines to recovery for some individuals and the nuances of assessing capacity in this population.

Keywords

• Anorexia nervosa
• Terminal anorexia
• Medical assistance in dying
• Capacity
• Physician-assisted suicide
• Severe and enduring anorexia nervosa