Assisted Dying Bill Gaining Traction in UK

Currently Lord Falconer’s bill is before the House of Lords, which would change assisted dying laws in the United Kingdom to allow terminally ill patients to gain medical assistance to end their life if they are determined to have the required mental capacity and will die naturally within six months.

Recent events have made passage of changes to the assisted dying laws more likely. A recent amendment to the bill puts assisted death applications under judicial oversight. In addition, Dr. Kailash Chand, Deputy chair of British Medical Association, expressed his support for the bill and that he believes the term “dying with dignity” rather than  assisted dying should be used. Chand spoke in his personal rather than professional capacity, and also said that the change will come within the next two years.

See, Jamie Doward, Assisted Dying Will be Made Legal in UK ‘Within Two Years’, The Guardian, Nov. 8, 2014.