Assisted suicide would have devastating outcomes for marginalised Britons – CARE

State-assisted suicide would have devastating outcomes for the most vulnerable and marginalised people in Britain, CARE has warned.

Today, it emerged that an assisted suicide bill will be brought forward in the House of Commons, following a private member’s bill ballot last month.

The Bill, from Labour's Kim Leadbeater - who placed first in the ballot - would allow doctors to prescribe lethal medications to terminally ill people.

Reacting to the news, Ross Hendry, CEO of CARE, said:

"Improving the care that people with terminal illnesses receive should be a political priority. However, 'assisted dying' must not be part of the answer. Legalising this practice would undermine suicide prevention, damage the bond of trust between doctors and patients, fuel negative attitudes towards individuals with serious health conditions and disabled people, and see marginalised Brits choosing to end their lives because they lack sufficient health and welfare support. We believe the state has a moral duty to protect the public from these outcomes.

“In 2015, MPs overwhelmingly rejected a change in the law. Even MPs who supported the idea of assisted suicide in principle said they did not believe it is possible to legislate for it without endangering vulnerable Britons. The strong evidence for this position has not changed in the intervening years. In fact, reports from Canada, the Benelux countries, Australia, and the United States paint a troubling picture of how these laws operate in practice. We would urge MPs to heed critics’ concerns and say no to assisted suicide. There is a better path forward.”

ENDS

CARE is a social policy charity, bringing Christian insight to the policies and laws that affect our lives.

For more information, or to request an interview contact: press@care.org.uk