Manitoba Patient Considers Assisted Dying After Denial of Specialized Care

A Manitoba man is considering medically assisted dying after the province twice denied his requests for out-of-province medical treatment, according to CBC.

Tomas Ponzilius, 33, lives with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a rare genetic condition affecting connective tissues. Ponzilius suffers from cervical instability, which causes breathing and vision problems, as well as extreme neck pain. He is seeking approval from Manitoba Health for a cervical fusion procedure in the U.S. to stabilize his neck, a surgery estimated to cost $200,000.

CBC reports that in July, Ponzilius's neurosurgeon informed the province's out-of-province referral program that the specialized rehabilitation and surgical expertise required for the case are unavailable in Manitoba. Despite this, the province rejected the request, stating it required more proof that sufficient care did not exist locally. Ponzilius is currently awaiting a decision on his appeal.

While a provincial spokesperson told CBC that referral pathways to Canadian clinics are available, Ponzilius reports that the GoodHope Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Clinic in Ontario—one of the few specializing in the condition—informed him they are not accepting out-of-province patients. Additionally, Jan Dommerholt, owner of the Bethesda Physiocare clinic in Maryland, told CBC he is unaware of any surgeons in Canada qualified to perform the specific procedure Ponzilius needs.

Ponzilius, who has opened a GoFundMe to cover costs after running out of non-covered pain medication, says he is "tortured every single day." A spokesperson for the health minister declined to comment on the case while it is before the appeals board.