Isle of Man set to legalise assisted dying

Telegraph

25-03-2025

The Isle of Man is set to become the first place in the British Isles to legalise assisted dying.
Terminally ill people on the island will be able to request assistance to end their lives after members of its parliament's upper chamber approved a final reading of an Assisted Dying Bill.
The Bill will now be put forward for royal assent, at which point it will become law.
Dr Alex Allinson, the member of the House of Keys who introduced the private member's Bill in 2022, said he was hopeful that it would become law later this year, and that an assisted dying service could be in place by 2027.
Campaigners against the Bill have voiced concerns that legalising assisted dying could put pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of being a burden on others. They have also argued that the disabled, elderly, sick or depressed could be especially at risk.
But Dr Allinson said the Bill had been drafted through 'a very careful process', with expert evidence taken into account throughout.
He added that the implementation of the law 'will involve more consultation, more guidelines, more safeguards and more parliamentary debates in terms of the underlying regulations and secondary legislation'.
'Dignity and autonomy'
As it stands, the Isle of Man Bill is only for adults resident on the island for five years who have a terminal illness with a life expectancy of no more than 12 months, and who have a settled intention to end their life.
Doctors are free to choose whether they want to opt in to providing the service following a previous request from the British Medical Association that this should be a choice.
Dr Allinson told the PA news agency: 'It has been a long process, but it was something that, when I went into politics, I was committed to try to advance.
'I'm very grateful to be in the privileged position of being able to bring this legislation through. People have been trying on the Isle of Man for the last 20 years to provide dignity and autonomy for those who are facing an imminent death.
'This is legislation probably that will only be used by a very small number of people, but for those people it's a very important step forward in terms of autonomy and choice at the end of your life.'
'Sad day for islanders'
Vicky Christian, the chairman of My Death, My Decision Isle of Man, described it as a 'historic day', but Dr Gordon Macdonald, the chief executive of Care Not Killing, called it a 'very sad day for islanders'.
James Mildred, of Christian Action Research and Education, which is opposed to assisted dying, said: 'This deeply sad step turns the Isle of Man's long-standing approach to suicide on its head. Under this legislation, the equal value of every citizen living on the island will no longer be affirmed.'
He added that 'the cultural change assisted suicide engenders is a negative one'.
Meanwhile, a committee of MPs at Westminster is on its final day of scrutinising a Bill to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales.
Amendments to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, including expert panels to provide a final sign-off on applications after High Court judge scrutiny was dropped from the proposed legislation, are being considered.
The Bill is expected to return to the House of Commons in mid-May for further debate and another vote by all MPs.
Jersey's parliament is expected to debate a draft law for an assisted dying service for terminally ill people on the island later this year. With a likely 18-month implementation period if a law is approved, the earliest it could come into effect would be summer 2027.