‘Assisted dying bill’: What does it mean for terminally ill patients in England & Wales?

A law to legalize assisted dying for terminally ill adults in England and Wales has been formally introduced in the House of Commons. Members of parliament will now review the bill, debate its contents and vote in favor or against in a few week time.

If the bill receives enough support, it will advance to the committee stage for further examination.

Labor MP Kim Leadbeater on Tuesday argued that her private member’s bill aims to provide the “safest choice” for mentally competent adults at the end of their lives.

She said the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill would prohibit anyone to persuade a person through dishonesty, coercion or pressure to declare they wanted to end their life or to induce someone to self-administer drugs to die. Violations of these provisions would carry a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

What is assisted dying?

As per Pro-change campaigners Dignity in Dying, the assisted dying helps a terminally ill person take their life if they decide their suffering is unbearable.

Who will be eligible for assisted dying?

An assisted death will be available to adults with a terminal illness who are expected to die within six months. A “clear, settled, and informed” wish must be expressed by the individual, free from pressure or compulsion, and they must be mentally capable of making a decision for their final days. Mental illness and disability are not included in the bill’s eligibility requirements.

How will it work?

A doctor will prepare the substance under the proposed law, however, the terminally ill patients themselves will take it. This process is called physician-assisted suicide.

The proposed law prohibits any medic to administer the medication to the terminally ill person. Moreover, Doctors will also not be under any obligation to take part in the process.