The proposed reforms to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales has ignited debate among peers who have vocalised significant reservations ahead of a two-day debate in the House of Lords.
This comes as the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which seeks to allow terminally ill individuals with less than six months to live to apply for an assisted death, returns to Parliament.
According to the bill, approval for an assisted death would require sanction from two doctors, as well as a panel comprising a social worker, a senior legal figure, and a psychiatrist.
There is significant divided opinion on the issue.
Advocates, like the group Dignity in Dying, argue for a terminally ill person’s right to choose their time and manner of death, given their suffering is deemed unbearable, provided they are mentally competent.
However, opposition groups, such as Care Not Killing, argue the focus should be on improving palliative care.
They suggest legalising assisted dying could endanger vulnerable groups within society and instead refer to the proposed reform as “assisted suicide” and “euthanasia.”
Campaigner Liz Carr emphasised the potentially transformative impact the legalisation of assisted dying could have but warned about the risks of changing the law.
Currently, assisted suicide remains illegal in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, carrying a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.
In Scotland, the offence falls under broader legal categories, with individuals facing potential charges of murder or other offences for aiding a person’s death.
