Euthanasia generally involves a health practitioner administering a lethal dose to intentionally end a person’s life, usually in the form of a lethal injection.
Euthanasia is different from assisted suicide, in that assisted suicide involves the person ending their own life administering a lethal dose themselves, whereas euthanasia usually involves a health practitioner administering a lethal dose.
Assisted suicide is legal in a handful of jurisdictions globally including Holland, Belgium, Canada, Colombia and Luxembourg.
Right To Life UK campaigns against any attempt to legalise such euthanasia, and for the development of palliative care services and end of life care that remove any perceived need for euthanasia.
Canadian MP launches campaign to block expansion of euthanasia and assisted suicide to people with mental illness
An MP in Canada has announced a campaign to prevent assisted suicide and euthanasia being permitted on the grounds of mental illness alone. Euthanasia was first legalised in Canada in 2016. In December 2022, the Government announced their plan to introduce legislation...
Switzerland: Assisted suicides up 825% since 2003 – 60% are women
Assisted suicides have reached a record high in Switzerland, with a total of 1,729 residents of Switzerland ending their lives by this means in 2023, 59.92% of whom are women. According to data from the Federal Statistical Office in Switzerland, in 2023 there was an...
New Zealand: 37% surge in euthanasia and assisted suicide deaths in one year
In New Zealand, cases of euthanasia and assisted suicide have increased by 37.21% for the year April 2024 to March 2025 compared with the same period the previous year, according to data released by the New Zealand Ministry of Health. There were a total of 472 cases...
Canada abolishes disabilities minister as assisted dying expansion continues
The decision of the Canadian government to abolish a government ministry for people with disabilities has been blasted as “a real slap in the face”, coming at the same time as the country’s euthanasia and assisted suicide programme continues to expand. When...
Concerns mount as Washington abandons important annual assisted suicide report
Concerns have been raised that vital data on the dangers of assisted suicide will be hidden following a decision by the Washington State Department of Health to discontinue its annual statistical report. Assisted suicide was legalised in Washington in November...
Assisted suicide described as “an alternative to decent care” after Canadian man’s death after neglect
A woman in Canada has described the death of her husband, who died by euthanasia after developing severe pressure sores, as a "horror" as a public inquiry begins. A coroner’s public inquiry has begun into the death of Normand Meunier, 66, who was quadriplegic and left...