Political

Covid-19 has exposed the need for a review of our assisted dying laws, says MDMD to parliamentary human rights committee

My Death, My Decision has responded to the Joint Committee on Human Rights’ review of Covid-19, by calling for an immediate review of the UK’s laws on assisted dying. 

In a submission to a consultation asking for opinions on the human rights impact of the Government’s extended lockdown, MDMD highlighted concerns that people suffering from terminal or incurable illnesses may have postponed their decision to travel to Switzerland if they thought it was prohibited under lockdown measures – and now risked having lost their opportunity for a dignified death in the future. The submission also discussed the incident where MDMD was aware of someone bringing forward their plans to end their life, because they feared restrictions might prevent them from doing so at a later stage. 

My Death, My Decision’s Chair Trevor Moore said: 

‘In many ways the onset of Covid-19 has given us all a glimpse into the lives of someone suffering from a terminal or incurable illness. But whilst our sense of losing control over our lives or fearing the prospect of a drawn-out period of suffering may only have been temporary, theirs sadly is not. Amidst the uncertainty of lockdown earlier this year, we understand that some people who had been ‘greenlit’ for an assisted death in Switzerland chose to postpone their journeys, and did so at the risk of losing their opportunity of going in the future. And sadly, we have now all learnt that they may have made this sacrifice and lost that final bit of control over their lives, without having had to.’

‘If nothing else, Covid-19 has demonstrated the frailty of end-of-life choices available in our country, and as we look to the future it has given a fresh impetus for a review into what needs to change. We encourage the UK Government and Parliament to grasp the issues exposed by our recent lockdowns and follow in the footsteps of our progressive neighbours, such as Canada, by instigating a thorough and widespread examination of our laws on assisted dying and end-of-life care.’ 

Notes:

For any more information or comment please contact My Death, My Decision’s Campaigns and Communications Manager at campaigns@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk.

Read our full consultation response. 

Read more about My Death, My Decision’s campaign for an inclusive change in the law: https://www.mydeath-mydecision.org.uk/

My Death, My Decision is a grassroots non-profit organisation that campaigns for a balanced and compassionate approach to assisted dying in England and Wales. As a growing movement, we are at the forefront of social change: nearly 90% of the public now favours a change in the law to allow adults of sound mind, who are either terminally ill or facing incurable suffering, the option of a peaceful, painless, and dignified death.

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Ban on assisted dying undermines end-of-life care in Wales, suggests My Death, My Decision

Credit: National Assembly for Wales, https://bit.ly/3dAw1th

My Death, My Decision has responded to a consultation on the future of justice in Wales by calling for assisted dying to be devolved – in order to unify Wales’ end-of-life care under one administration. My Death, My Decision hopes that this consultation will ignite the Welsh Parliament to set a national standard by reforming the law on assisted dying, as it has previously done on issues such as organ donation. 

In their response to Making Justice work in Wales, a consultation to identify areas of concern and further justice issues for devolution, My Death, My Decision said that, just like palliative care, assisted dying should be seen as one choice on a spectrum of end-of-life options, and that it is ‘plainly illogical’ when Wales already has authority over palliative care for it not to be able to decide its own law on assisted dying. 

In 2014, the Senedd voted against endorsing the principles of a bill which would legalise assisted dying by creating a narrow exception for adults with six or fewer months left to live. However, since 2014, research made available by My Death, My Decision suggests that the current prohibition on assisted dying could have disproportionate consequences for  Wales; as the number of people travelling from Wales to Switzerland for an assisted death has more than doubled – and there are multiple years where those who travelled from the UK for an assisted death disproportionately came from Wales. 

Throughout its consultation response, My Death, My Decision argued that Wales should ‘take a leading stance on legal, safe, and compassionate assisted dying for the incurably suffering and terminally ill’, and in order to do that effectively the Senedd should have the authority to determine its own law. 

My Death, My Decision’s Chair Trevor Moore said: 

‘It is plainly wrong that, unlike other jurisdictions which have proven that palliative care and assisted dying work best when they work in tandem, a key aspect of Wales’ end-of-life care should be divorced from it’s control. 

Although there is now compelling evidence to support a change in the law for all of England and Wales which would allow adults of sound mind, who are either terminally ill or facing incurable suffering, the option of an assisted death, we believe that the final say on Wales’ law should at least be vested within its elected Assembly. We urge the Government to take notice of this evidence and recognise the compelling case for devolution’. 

Read My Death, My Decision’s full consultation response to the Senedd here and My Death, My Decision’s full response in Welsh here. 

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Dark money anti-assisted dying ad taken down from Facebook

A Facebook advertisement by the anti-assisted dying organisation Our duty of care UK has been taken down for failing to disclose who paid for it. 

The advert, which encouraged doctors to vote against changing the British Medical Association’s stance on assisted dying, was seen by more than 3,000 people before it was removed by Facebook. 

The group ‘Our Duty of Care UK’ now states on its website that it is funded in part by the anti-assisted dying group Care not Killing, though reportedly failed to disclose any connection when it unsuccessfully lobbied the Royal College of Physicians last year against dropping their long-standing opposition to assisted dying. 

The news that anti-assisted dying advertisements have been funded by undisclosed backers follows after it was reported last year that dark money groups – who campaign to restrict abortion rights in the USA – had been funding campaigns against assisted dying in the UK. 

According to Facebook’s website, the advert ‘ran without a disclaimer. After the ad started running, we determined that the ad was about social issues, elections or politics and required the label. The ad has been taken down.’ 

Trevor Moore the chair of the campaign group My Death, My Decision said:

‘Assisted dying is a complex and emotive topic, which demands sensitivity and careful discussion. It is incumbent upon those who advocate either for and against changing the law to make sure we hold ourselves to the highest standards and engage in an open, transparent, and honest debate.’

‘To gain trust in the public debate we all need to ensure that statements are supported by verified evidence and are not alarmist or ideological. That means keeping sight of what drives the debate – compassion for real people.’

‘It is a national disgrace that adults of sound mind, who are incurably suffering or terminally ill, do not have the benefit of a law that gives them the option to choose how and when they die. But, there is a better way forward. New evidence from countries, including Canada, demonstrates a balance between respecting autonomy and robust safeguards can be achieved.  I encourage doctors who believe in empathy and dignity to vote in support of legal, compassionate, and safeguarded assisted dying.’

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Justice Secretary considers review into assisted dying

Credit: House of Lords| Roger Harris
https://bit.ly/36BZyy4

Secretary of State for Justice, Robert Buckland QC, has announced that he is considering a review into the law on assisted dying, adding there is a need to ‘take into account compassionate reasons’. 

His comments which first appeared in the Express newspaper, follow after MPs debated assisted dying last week for the first time since Paul Lamb and Phil Newby were rejected permission to challenge the law. 

He said: 

‘Although Crown Prosecution Service guidelines strike a decent balance on the need to follow the evidence, the need to take into account compassionate reasons, I do continue to consider the matter very carefully. My own view is that I wouldn’t support (assisted suicide) but that’s my view as an individual. As Lord Chancellor I have to think about the merits of having a call for evidence, which I will actively consider in the next few months.’

Trevor Moore chair of the campaign group My Death, My Decision said:

‘The balance of evidence in favour of a compassionate, safeguarded, and inclusive right-to-die really has changed since 2015, and it is encouraging that the Government is giving this issue the serious consideration that it deserves. 

Only last week MPs were asked to debate assisted dying, but then weren’t equipped with the necessary and impartial evidence to do so – leading to several misunderstandings and inaccuracies. 

Every week more than one person a week from the UK is now forced to end their life abroad – which simply wasn’t the case in 2015. The trend in medical opinion continues to move in favour of review, as both the Royal College of General Practitioners and British Medical Association have committed to surveying their members – and beyond this, more countries, including Canada, have demonstrated internationally that a balance can be struck between robust safeguards and a dignified death. None of this was the case in 2015, and a review is now long overdue.’

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Open Letter to the Secretary of State for Justice

To mark the tenth anniversary of Debbie Purdy’s landmark assisted dying case, which resulted in the current Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) guidelines on the Assisted Suicide law, My Death, My Decision has published an open letter to the incoming Secretary of State for Justice, Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP,  calling for a review into the working of the Assisted Suicide law in England and Wales. The Guardian published the letter on the anniversary date of 30th July. The call follows a recent parliamentary debate on the issue in which MPs made a similar call.

The full text of the letter is available here. The list of signatories is diverse and impressive, indicating the range of support MDMD has for its position and its growing influence. In addition to MDMD Chair Trevor Moore, the signatories include:

Medical Professionals:
Sir Iain Chalmers – Founder of the Cochrane Collaboration and acting coordinator of the James Lind Initiative
Dr Phil Hammond – Physician, Broadcaster, Comedian and Commentator
Dr Michael Irwin – Former Medical Director United Nations
Dr Henry Marsh – Physician and Author
Professor David Nutt – President of the European Brain Council
Professor Wendy Savage – General Medical Council and British Medical Association’s Ethics Committee Member
other members of MDMD’s Medical Group.

Philosophers:
Dr Julian Baggini – Philosopher, Journalist, and co-founder of the Philosophers’ Magazine
Professor A.C Grayling – Philosopher, Journalist, and founder of the New College of Humanities

Church Leaders:
Rev’d Canon Rosie Harper – Canon of Christ Church, Vicar of Great Missenden, Chaplain to the Bishop of Buckingham and member of the General Synod.
Rev’d Scott McKenna – Minister Mayfield Salisbury Church

Legal:
Professor Emily Jackson – UK Legal Scholar

Media:
Virginia Ironside – Journalist
Polly Toynbee – Journalist and Author
Andi Reiss – Independent film maker who made the documentary ‘Endgame‘.

Campaigners:
Andrew Copson – Chief Executive Humanists UK (Humanists UK is MDMD’s Assisted Dying Coalition Partner Organisation in England and Wales)
Paul Lamb – Currently bringing an Assisted Dying Court case.
Phil Newby – Currently bringing an Assisted Dying Court case.
Jane and Lauren Nicklinson – Assisted Dying Campaigners (Widow and Daughter of  Tony Nicklinson who brought an Assisted Dying Court Case)
Omar Puente – Assisted Dying Campaigner (Widower of Debbie Purdy)
MDMD supporters who have accompanied a relative to Switzerland for a medically assisted death that would not be permissible under a law limited to those with a life expectancy of 6 months or less, (as is the case in Oregon and which was rejected by the UK parliament in September 2015).

Other MDMD Patrons not included above:
Miriam Margolyes – Actor
Lord Martin Rees – Cross-bencher House of Lords

MDMD are most grateful to all signatories in coming together to support this call.

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My Death, My Decision is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England company number 11758121 and located at Unit A 39 Moreland Street, London, EC1V 8BB.