Living and Dying Well statement on euthanasia bill

Palace of Westminster

Lord Falconer's next 'Assisted Dying Bill’ is expected to be tabled in the House of Lords shortly. Living and Dying Well will be examining this Private Member’s bill carefully to assess its strengths and weaknesses. However, unless it is significantly different from its predecessor, it is unlikely to pass the test of public safety.

Lord Carlile QC, Chair of Living and Dying Well, stated: "The term 'assisted dying' is pure Orwellian spin. What is being proposed in plain language is the licensing of doctors to supply lethal drugs to some of their patients to enable them to commit suicide. That would represent a major change to the criminal law of this country. No convincing evidence has been presented that the law as it stands is in need of such change. On the contrary, the last Director of Public Prosecutions told Lord Falconer's 'commission on assisted dying' that 'the law works well in practice'".

Co-chair Professor Baroness Finlay of Llandaff added: "The great majority of doctors are opposed to a change in the law, as evidenced by the Royal College of General Practitioners' recent survey of the views of its members. Doctors are aware from their day-to-day practice that many terminally ill patients are vulnerable and in need of protection and need help to live rather than help to commit suicide. An assisted suicide law flies in the face of the 'do no harm' principle that lies at the heart of good clinical practice".

Living and Dying Well is a thinktank co-chaired by Professor the Baroness Finlay of Llandaff and Lord Carlile of Berriew QC and specialises in end-of-life issues. Its Patrons and Members include experts in the law, medicine, mental health, ethics and other disciplines relevant to the end-of-life debate. Its website can be accessed at www.livinganddyingwell.org.uk