In a historic decision, the United Kingdom’s House of Commons passed a bill on Friday legalizing assisted suicide for terminally ill adults. The measure, titled the “Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life)” bill, passed with a vote of 330 to 275 after hours of intense debate. The bill allows individuals with less than six months to live to choose to end their lives legally.
The legislation still faces additional scrutiny and approvals from parliamentary committees and the House of Lords before it can become law. Kim Leadbeater, the Member of Parliament who introduced the bill, anticipates this process will take up to six months.
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The vote has sparked widespread controversy and concern. Dr. Calum Miller, an Oxford ethicist, condemned the decision on social media, describing it as a “huge step towards state-assisted and doctor-assisted murder of old and sick people.” He called it “a truly dark day” for the UK.
Currently, assisted suicide remains illegal in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. If the bill becomes law, the UK would join a growing list of countries that permit assisted suicide, including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In the United States, 10 states and Washington, D.C., have similar laws.
Critics have pointed to Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) program as a cautionary tale. The program is now the fifth leading cause of death in Canada, with 13,241 deaths recorded in 2022. Reports have highlighted concerns over insufficient safeguards, with some patients seeking assisted suicide due to fears of homelessness or social isolation.
Alexander Raikin, a visiting fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, noted in a report that “almost no MAiD requests are denied by clinicians,” with the median time between a written request and death being just 11 days.
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During the debate, several British lawmakers voiced deep reservations about the potential unintended consequences of legalizing assisted suicide.
Robert Jenrick warned that the legislation could create “imperceptible changes in behaviors,” leading vulnerable individuals to feel pressured to end their lives. “There will be the grandmother who worries about her grandchildren’s inheritance if she does not end her life,” Jenrick said. “There will be the widow who relies on the kindness of strangers, who worries; it preys on her conscience.”
Danny Kruger, another MP, criticized the bill’s definition of terminal illness, arguing it lacked sufficient safeguards. “In the case of eating disorders, you just need to refuse food,” Kruger said. “The evidence is in jurisdictions around the world… that that would be enough to qualify you for an assisted death.”
Kruger also raised concerns about medical practitioners specializing in assisted deaths, citing examples from Canada where some physicians reportedly oversee “hundreds of patients a year” opting for assisted suicide.
The debate over assisted suicide in the UK is far from over. As the bill moves to the House of Lords and other legislative reviews, both supporters and critics will continue to scrutinize its implications. Advocates argue the legislation provides dignity and autonomy for terminally ill individuals, while opponents warn of potential abuses and societal impacts.
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