Assisted suicide usually involves a health practitioner prescribing a lethal dose for a person to administer themselves, usually by swallowing a combination of drugs.
In the United Kingdom, the Suicide Act 1961 legalised the attempt to take one’s own life, but it kept illegal the assistance of another’s death.
Assisted suicide is legal in a handful of jurisdictions globally including Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg and a small number of states in the US.
Right To Life UK campaigns against any attempt to legalise assisted suicide, and for the development of palliative care services and end of life care that remove any perceived need for assisted suicide.
Person dies after taking assisted suicide drugs meant for their partner
A person has died by suicide after taking lethal assisted suicide drugs left unused when their partner died in hospital without taking them, according to a report from the Victoria Government. The report, released earlier this month, says the 'Voluntary Assisted Dying...
Disability rights campaigners speak of relief at rejection of assisted suicide Bill
Campaigners for the rights of people with disabilities have spoken of their relief at the rejection of the assisted suicide Bill by MPs. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which would have legalised assisted suicide in England and Wales, was defeated at...
400% increase in deaths by euthanasia in Victoria, Australia
Victoria, Australia has seen a 400% increase in cases of euthanasia over a five-year period, as the region intends to expand the law further from next year. According to the annual report released earlier this month, there was a 59.09% increase in instances of...
Two-year-old child has died by euthanasia in the Netherlands despite doctors initially saying reasonable alternatives remained
A two-year-old child has died by euthanasia in the Netherlands, the first case of a non-infant child under 12 dying by euthanasia, despite independent doctors initially concluding that the child was “not continuously suffering unbearably” and that reasonable...
Mother dies by euthanasia despite daughters saying she was not terminally ill, but had mental health issues
Two sisters have said they were only given 48 hours' notice that their mother would have her life ended by euthanasia, although they say she was not terminally ill. According to the Daily Mail, Donna Duncan told her daughters in October 2021 that she had been...
“Dr Death” considering creating “pop-up” Swiss assisted suicide referral service in London
A euthanasia campaigner and former GP nicknamed ‘Dr Death’ has said he plans to open a “pop-up office” in London to advise people on travelling to Switzerland to end their lives by assisted suicide. Philip Nitschke, the controversial founder of pro-euthanasia...