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A new report published today by the Assisted Dying Coalition shows the true inadequacy of our assisted dying laws in forcing many UK citizens to choose an assisted death in Switzerland. My Death, My Decision urges politicians to read this report and support an assisted dying law that recognises intolerable suffering and makes these journeys to Switzerland unnecessary.

The research outlines the continuous flow of UK and crown-dependency residents using assisted dying services abroad — an increase which will only continue in the absence of a compassionate assisted dying law.

For the first time, this report publishes the breakdown of where UK and Crown Dependency residents come from who have an assisted death at Dignitas:

More affluent regions see higher rates of individuals travelling to Switzerland. This is hardly surprising, given the approximate cost of £15,000 to do so. Counties that are also further from an airport, meaning travel is significantly more difficult and expensive, often see fewer assisted deaths. 

The Assisted Dying Coalition, of which My Death, My Decision is a founder member, is the UK and Crown Dependencies coalition of organisations working in favour of legal recognition of the right to an assisted death. 

My Death, My Decision advocates an assisted dying law based on the following:

Any adult of sound mind who is intolerably suffering from an incurable, physical condition and has a clear and settled wish to die should have the option of an assisted death.

The report also highlights data on the conditions from which people who go abroad are suffering, in many cases being neuro-degenerative conditions like Motor Neurone Disease. Many of them would not be classed as terminally ill or as having less than six months left to live, so they would be outside the scope of every law that has been proposed in the UK so far. 

That is because those proposals have been based on the legislation introduced by the US state of Oregon in 1997. Under the ‘Oregon Model’, only people with a terminal illness who have fewer than six months left to live are eligible to choose an assisted death. Clearly, therefore,  this report highlights that any assisted dying law must ensure that eligibility criteria are based on suffering, not months left to live.

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death, My Decision said:

“This startling report by the Assisted Dying Coalition is further evidence that our current prohibition on assisted dying is outdated, discriminatory and unworkable. MPs will surely be concerned to know that some of their suffering constituents are fleeing abroad for an assisted death, while others who are not financially or physically capable of doing so must continue to endure avoidable suffering. We know that many politicians have constituents with conditions like Huntington’s and Motor Neurone Disease, who want and deserve the right to have a dignified death on their own terms.

We need a law that would have worked for the late Tony Nicklinson and Paul Lamb, the courageous, suffering men with incurable conditions who fought for the right to receive assistance for their self-determined death through the courts and whose Supreme Court challenges remain landmark cases.”

Notes:

Members of the MDMD team, as well as individuals affected by the current law on assisted dying, are available for interview upon request

For further comment or information, media should contact Nathan Stilwell at nathan.stilwell@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07456200033.

My Death, My Decision is a grassroots campaign group that wants the law in England and Wales to allow mentally competent adults who are terminally ill or intolerably suffering from an incurable condition the option of a legal, safe, and compassionate assisted death. With the support of over 3,000 members and supporters, we advocate for an evidence-based law that would balance individual choice alongside robust safeguards and finally give the people of England and Wales choice at the end of their lives.

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Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, has pledged a vote on assisted dying in the next parliament if they are to win the next general election. My Death, My Decision welcomes this commitment, which could see assisted dying legalised in the term of the next Parliament.

Sir Keir made the commitment when speaking in a phone call with broadcaster Dame Esther Rantzen, who announced in December that she had joined the Swiss assisted dying centre Dignitas. 

Sir Keir told Esther: “I’m personally in favour of changing the law… I think we need to make time. We will make the commitment. Esther, I can give you that commitment right now.”

Picture by Andrew Parsons / No 10 Downing Street

When asked whether he’d like a vote to take place within the next parliament, Sir Keir replied: “Oh yes, definitely. I think Esther would agree with this.

“For people who are going through this or are likely to go through it in the next few months or years, this matters hugely and delay just prolongs the agony.”

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death, My Decision said:

“Sir Keir Starmer’s commitment to give time for an assisted dying debate in Parliament is huge progress towards more compassionate end-of-life choices for people suffering intolerably from incurable conditions. My Death, My Decision welcomes this bold statement  – assisted dying law reform is long overdue.

Voters from all parties desperately want the law change to change. It’s about time we stopped exporting compassion to Switzerland and gave people control of their lives and ultimately their deaths”

The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has said he would support allowing enough parliamentary time for a meaningful debate and vote on assisted dying. Mr Sunak also pledged to introduce assisted dying laws if parliament wanted to change the law, saying the government would “facilitate” it in a “legally effective” way.

There has not been a vote on assisted dying since 2015. The most recent attempt to change the law ended when the bill ran out of time in 2021. There are currently no votes or debates expected on this topic in this parliamentary term.

The Health and Social Care Committee recently published its report on assisted dying. The report contained no direct recommendations for legislative change, but clearly outlines the evidence and should be used as a roadmap for the next parliament to legislate on assisted dying.

Progress on assisted dying legislation is being made in Scotland, Jersey and the Isle of Man. Each jurisdiction is due to debate the issue this year. Westminster can learn much from them.

Notes:

Members of the MDMD team, as well as individuals affected by the current law on assisted dying, are available for interview upon request

For further comment or information, media should contact Nathan Stilwell at nathan.stilwell@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07456200033.

My Death, My Decision is a grassroots campaign group that wants the law in England and Wales to allow mentally competent adults who are terminally ill or intolerably suffering from an incurable condition the option of a legal, safe, and compassionate assisted death. With the support of over 3,000 members and supporters, we advocate for an evidence-based law that would balance individual choice alongside robust safeguards and finally give the people of England and Wales choice at the end of their lives.

Read more about our work with the Assisted Dying Inquiry: https://www.mydeath-mydecision.org.uk/2023/07/13/our-summary-the-assisted-dying-inquiry/ 

The special Oireachtas committee on assisted dying in the Republic of Ireland is set to recommend that legislation should be introduced to allow terminally ill people the right to a dignified death on their own terms. My Death, My Decision welcomes this news, adding to the cases of Scotland, Isle of Man and Jersey in shining a spotlight on the lack of progress at Westminster.

Last week the Health and Social Care Committee’s assisted dying inquiry in the UK released their report. It did not make any recommendations for moving to an assisted dying law for England and Wales.

By contrast, the Irish Parliament’s Committee on Assisted Dying is expected to recommend that a law be introduced to allow assisted dying for terminally ill people. Those with incurable, irreversible, progressive and advanced illnesses that will cause death within six months will be eligible. This time limit is likely to be set at 12 months for people suffering from neurodegenerative conditions.

My Death, My Decision would welcome an assisted dying law in the UK that grants mentally capable adults the option of an assisted death if they are endu

ring unbearable suffering from an incurable physical condition. There should be no arbitrary life expectancy thresholds.

The Oireachtas Committee’s final report is due to be published on 20 March.

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death, My Decision, said:

“This Oireachtas report should lay the foundations for a compassionate assisted dying law for Ireland. With laws progressing in Scotland, Isle of Man and Jersey too, it’s time politicians at Westminster realise that doing nothing is no longer an option. 

We urge them to support a law that will give adults of sound mind who are suffering intolerably from incurable physical conditions the right to make their own end-of-life decisions, without artificial life expectancy timeframes like six or twelve months.”

Notes:

Members of the MDMD team, as well as individuals affected by the current law on assisted dying, are available for interview upon request

For further comment or information, media should contact Nathan Stilwell at nathan.stilwell@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07456200033.

My Death, My Decision is a grassroots campaign group that wants the law in England and Wales to allow those who are terminally ill or intolerably suffering the option of a legal, safe, and compassionate assisted death. With the support of over 3,000 members, we advocate for an evidence-based law that would balance individual choice alongside robust safeguards and finally give the people of England and Wales choice at the end of their lives.

Read more about our work with the Assisted Dying Inquiry: https://www.mydeath-mydecision.org.uk/2023/05/15/assisted-dying-inquiry-health-and-social-care-committee-takes-next-steps/ 

Today, the Health and Social Care Committee published its report on assisted dying. My Death, My Decision welcomes the report and urges parliament to act as soon as possible on assisted dying. The Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition have both said recently that they would give Parliamentary time to a new debate.

The report contained no direct recommendations for legislative change, but clearly outlines the evidence and should be used as a roadmap for the next parliament to legislate on assisted dying.

Members of the MDMD team, as well as individuals affected by the current law on assisted dying, are available for interview upon request.

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death, My Decision, said:

“This report should lay the foundations for a compassionate assisted dying law. The report is clear that individuals in the UK are suffering unnecessarily and that the present law is a shambles.  Doing nothing is no longer an option. Adults who are suffering intolerably from incurable conditions deserve the right to make their own end-of-life decisions.

While it is disappointing that the report didn’t go further to directly recommend change,  nothing in this report should block Parliament from acting. So we urge the next parliament to act on this urgently, drawing on the experience of the 31 jurisdictions that have already done so.”

My Death, My Decision would welcome an assisted dying law in the UK that grants mentally capable adults the option of an assisted death if they are enduring unbearable suffering from an incurable physical condition.

The report includes several insights into how assisted dying is working well abroad. Including:

• Palliative care is improved by the introduction of assisted dying legislation.
• The current guidance for doctors about assisted dying is inadequate and should be improved.
• In every country with assisted dying legislation, doctors can conscientiously object – many people recommend an opt-in model for medical professionals.
• So-called ‘slippery slopes’ where assisted dying legislation expands unintentionally don’t exist – The US state of Oregon’s assisted dying law remains effectively unchanged since it was introduced in 1997.

The report made several references to My Death, My Decision’s evidence submitted, including that public opinion has been consistently in favour of assisted dying for decades and that not allowing people with disabilities the right to make decisions about their own end of life removes their autonomy and is discriminatory.

Read our summary of the inquiry as it happened.

The report fails to address the fact that – as recent research shows – less than half the UK residents who seek an assisted death in Switzerland would be helped by the narrow laws that Parliament has considered to date. 

Susan Lawford, who was arrested and investigated for accompanying Sharon Johnston to Dignitas in 2022, said:

“I was arrested at 5 am, kept in a cell for 16 hours and then was under investigation for six months for the crime of accompanying Sharon Johnston to have an assisted death in Switzerland. I’m disappointed that the report doesn’t recommend change, but I’m hopeful that politicians can use it to debate and vote on a meaningful change to the law.

It’s clear to me that Sharon shouldn’t have been forced abroad to die with dignity. This report mentions that too many people in the UK are suffering and have a clear and settled wish to die with dignity. Our politicians must act.”

Notes:

Members of the MDMD team, as well as individuals affected by the current law on assisted dying, are available for interview upon request

For further comment or information, media should contact Nathan Stilwell at nathan.stilwell@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07456200033.

My Death, My Decision is a grassroots campaign group that wants the law in England and Wales to allow those who are terminally ill or intolerably suffering the option of a legal, safe, and compassionate assisted death. With the support of over 3,000 members, we advocate for an evidence-based law that would balance individual choice alongside robust safeguards and finally give the people of England and Wales choice at the end of their lives.

A new study published today shows that the majority of UK residents who travel to Switzerland for an assisted death would not be helped by the laws considered by Parliament to date. My Death, My Decision urges politicians to support an assisted dying law that recognises intolerable suffering and makes these journeys to Switzerland unnecessary.

Every law that has been proposed in the UK so far has been based on the legislation introduced by the US state of Oregon in 1997. Under the ‘Oregon Model’, only people with a terminal illness who have six months left to live or less are eligible to have an assisted death. 

Many people seeking an assisted death suffer from slow degenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Motor Neurone Disease and cannot be said to have “only six months left to live”.  This study shows that more than half the UK residents going to Switzerland have such conditions, and would likely be ineligible under a UK assisted dying law requiring a six-month prognosis. 

The paper was published in the BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care. 

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death, My Decision said:

“The next parliament must legislate to reflect overwhelming public support for assisted dying. We urge politicians to vote for an ethical and compassionate law that will not discriminate with arbitrary eligibility criteria. We know that many MPs have spoken with constituents with conditions like ALS, Huntington’s and Motor Neurone Disease, who want and deserve the right to have a dignified death on their own terms.

We need a law that would have worked for Tony Nicklinson and Paul Lamb, the men who fought for the right to receive assistance for their self-determined death through the courts and whose Supreme Court challenges remain landmark cases.”

Table 1 Diagnoses of UK Residents receiving an assisted death in Switzerland

Table 2 UK Residents with neurological diagnoses receiving an assisted death in Switzerland

The study:

Analysis was carried out by Marie-Claire Hopwood, palliative care consultant, Dr Graham Winyard, retired public health physician and former Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Colin Brewer, retired psychiatrist and former director of Westminster Hospital’s community alcoholism treatment service.

They analysed the diagnoses of UK residents who had an assisted death during periods between 2005 and 2022 at all three of the Swiss organisations that provide this service to non-residents of Switzerland to try to determine what proportion of them would have met that requirement. 

My Death, My Decision recommends that the UK legislation on assisted dying should be based on the following:

Any adult of sound mind who is intolerably suffering from an incurable, physical condition and has a clear and settled wish to die should have the option of an assisted death.

The Health and Social Care Committee is currently running an inquiry into assisted dying. It is likely to be published soon. 

Progress on assisted dying legislation is being made in Scotland, Jersey and the Isle of Man. Each jurisdiction is due to debate the issue next year.

Notes:

Members of the MDMD team, as well as individuals affected by the current law on assisted dying, are available for interview upon request

For further comment or information, media should contact Nathan Stilwell at nathan.stilwell@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07456200033.

My Death, My Decision is a grassroots campaign group that wants the law in England and Wales to allow mentally competent adults who are terminally ill or intolerably suffering from an incurable condition the option of a legal, safe, and compassionate assisted death. With the support of over 3,000 members and supporters, we advocate for an evidence-based law that would balance individual choice alongside robust safeguards and finally give the people of England and Wales choice at the end of their lives.

Read more about our work with the Assisted Dying Inquiry: https://www.mydeath-mydecision.org.uk/2023/07/13/our-summary-the-assisted-dying-inquiry/ 

The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak chairing his first Cabinet this morning (c) Open Government Licence v3.0.

The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has said he would support allowing enough parliamentary time for a meaningful debate and vote on assisted dying. Mr Sunak also pledged to introduce assisted dying laws if parliament wanted to change the law, saying the government would “facilitate” it in a “legally effective” way.

My Death, My Decision welcomes the Prime Minister’s comments and will push for an assisted dying Private Member’s Bill to be introduced at the next opportunity.

Earlier this year the leader of the opposition, Keir Starmer, made a similar pledge of parliamentary time.

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death, My Decision said:

“This is huge. Both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the opposition have now said they would make parliamentary time for a meaningful vote on assisted dying. This is welcome progress towards more compassionate end-of-life choices for people suffering unbearably from incurable conditions. 

With the vast majority of the public in favour of law change, voters from all parties have been pushing for a proper debate and vote on this crucial issue. It’s about time we stopped exporting compassion to Switzerland and gave suffering people the choice of how and when they wish their life to end.”

Sunak made the comments to campaigner Matt Ryan, 44, who told him that reforms could have eased the suffering his family faced when both his father, David Minns, and his sister, Katie, died from cancer.

There has not been a vote on assisted dying since 2015. The most recent attempt to change the law ended when a Bill in the House of Lords ran out of time in 2021. There are currently no votes or debates expected on this topic in this parliamentary term.

The Health and Social Care Committee is currently running an inquiry into assisted dying. The date of the report’s publication is likely to be announced soon. 

Progress on assisted dying legislation is being made in Scotland, Jersey and the Isle of Man. Each jurisdiction is due to debate the issue this year.

Notes:

Members of the MDMD team, as well as individuals affected by the current law on assisted dying, are available for interview upon request

For further comment or information, media should contact Nathan Stilwell at nathan.stilwell@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07456200033.

My Death, My Decision is a grassroots campaign group that wants the law in England and Wales to allow mentally competent adults who are terminally ill or intolerably suffering from an incurable physical condition the option of a legal, safe, and compassionate assisted death. With the support of over 3,000 members and supporters, we advocate for an evidence-based law that would balance individual choice alongside robust safeguards and finally give the people of England and Wales choice at the end of their lives.

Read more about our work with the Assisted Dying Inquiry: https://www.mydeath-mydecision.org.uk/2023/07/13/our-summary-the-assisted-dying-inquiry/ 

Dr Alex Allinson’s Assisted Dying Bill has passed its second reading in the Isle of Man Parliament, bringing the jurisdiction a vital step closer to a working, compassionate assisted dying law. My Death, My Decision, whose local Isle of Man branch has been campaigning strongly for a law, welcomes this important step.

The bill passed with 17 votes in favour to 7 against.

With this significant hurdle jumped, the Isle of Man could be the first part of the British Isles to legalise assisted dying. The Bill will now enter the clause stage where individual elements of the Bill can be scrutinised and voted on. The next vote will decide how the next step will be taken, this could be done by a committee of five members, or a committee of the entire parliament.

Currently, the Bill would only give Manx residents terminally ill people with fewer than six months to live the choice of receiving help to end their own life. My Death, My Decision is campaigning for the eligibility criteria to include mentally competent adults who are incurably suffering, but not necessarily terminally ill, would be able to have the option of an assisted death.

Our chair, Trevor Moore, visited Tynwald in June, to make the case for parliamentarians to vote for a compassionate assisted dying law that will help end unnecessary suffering for those who so choose.

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death, My Decision said:

“The members of the House of Keys are to be applauded in taking this historic step on the path to an assisted dying law for the Isle of Man . They have engaged positively with the debate so far, with arguments put forward from all sides in good faith. We remain hopeful that the Isle of Man continues along the road to giving mentally competent adults who are incurably suffering the choice of a dignified death.

We would like to thank our passionate campaigners on the island, like Vicky Christian who chairs our local group there. They have done extraordinary work to ensure that the voices of people who have been deeply affected by the current unjust assisted dying laws are heard.”

Notes:

Members of the MDMD team, as well as individuals affected by the current law on assisted dying, are available for interview upon request

For further comment or information, media should contact Nathan Stilwell at nathan.stilwell@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07456200033.

My Death, My Decision is a grassroots campaign group that wants the law in England and Wales to allow mentally competent adults who are terminally ill or intolerably suffering from an incurable condition the option of a legal, safe, and compassionate assisted death. With the support of over 3,000 members and supporters, we advocate for an evidence-based law that would balance individual choice alongside robust safeguards and finally give the people of England and Wales choice at the end of their lives.

Read more about our work with the Assisted Dying Inquiry: https://www.mydeath-mydecision.org.uk/2023/07/13/our-summary-the-assisted-dying-inquiry/