Lawmakers in Britain voted on Friday in favor of a proposal to legalize assisted dying for some terminally ill patients in England and Wales.
The 330 to 275 vote in the House of Commons was not the final say on the matter; the legislation will be scrutinized in parliamentary committees and amendments may be put forward.
It was the first time in nearly a decade that British lawmakers voted on assisted dying, a once-taboo practice that has been the subject of increased interest as some Western countries have made it legal in recent years. Here’s what to know.
What does the bill say?
The bill that was approved on Friday applies to those who are at least 18 years old, have received a terminal diagnosis and have no more than six months to live. Two doctors and a judge are required to give their approval, and fatal drugs would have to be self-administered.
Parliament overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to allow assisted dying in 2015. But since then, as other European countries have slowly approved assisted suicide, pressure has mounted on British lawmakers to establish their own policy, especially as it has become more common for terminally ill Britons to travel abroad to die on their own terms.
The debate over assisted dying practices was reignited in December, when the British broadcaster Esther Rantzen said she would consider traveling abroad to end her life, given her diagnosis of terminal lung cancer. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he promised Ms. Rantzen before the July general election that if his Labour Party won, the government would allow a debate and a vote on the subject.
What is the current law in Britain?
It is illegal to assist someone in the act of killing themselves in Britain. The new legislation covers only England and Wales, but a similar bill is being considered by Scotland’s Parliament.
Still, it is difficult to convict someone in these kinds of cases. According to the Crown Prosecution Service, the public prosecutor for England and Wales, 187 cases of assisted suicide have been referred to courts in the last 15 years; only four have been successfully prosecuted.
It is not legal to assist someone’s suicide in Scotland, but prosecutors there have said it is exceedingly unlikely that anyone would face charges for doing so, assuming the act was fully voluntary.
What is allowed in other countries?
Assisted dying has been legalized in many parts of Europe and North America in the 21st century. Many European countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain, permit assisted dying under certain circumstances. In the United States, assisted dying is allowed in 10 states and the District of Columbia.
The policies vary, but most include age limits, medical exams, certain requirements for physical and health condition, and waiting periods. In U.S. states where it is legal, it is typically up to physicians to determine a prescription of drugs for a person seeking an assisted death, according to Death With Dignity, a group that supports more lenient laws around assisted dying.
Britain’s ban on assisted suicide has led some people to travel abroad to end their lives. Dignitas, an assisted-dying organization based in Switzerland — long considered a leader in assisted dying policies — told British lawmakers last year that it had helped 540 British citizens die within Swiss borders.
How does the British public feel about the practice?
In a recent poll, two-thirds of respondents in Britain said they believed assisted dying should be allowed, under certain conditions.
Still, critics question whether the proposed law could be used to pressure vulnerable people, including those with disabilities, to end their lives before they’re ready. Before he resigned as the archbishop of Canterbury this month, the Most Rev. Justin Welby told the BBC in October that the idea of assisted dying was “dangerous,” saying he believed it could lead to people who are not terminally ill “feeling pressured to ask for it.”
If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 from the United States to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources.
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