Isle of Man assisted suicide law receives Royal Assent

On Tuesday 20 October, the Isle of Man’s Assisted Dying Bill was granted Royal Assent, paving the way for assisted suicide to be legalised on the island.

The law will allow terminally ill adults with a life expectancy of 12 months or less, who have lived on the island for at least five years, to request an assisted death.

However, no date has been agreed for the law to be implemented.

A statement from the Manx Government said: “The service will not begin until government is confident it is genuinely ready.”

It added that assisted suicide cannot begin until specific provisions of the Capacity Act come into force, currently expected by April 2028.

Medical professionals and campaigners have raised serious concerns about the legislation.

The Isle of Man Medical Society warned that the legislation poses a “profound risk… to healthcare, vulnerable patients, and the medical profession across the island”.

It said almost three-quarters of its members opposed the practice, raising concerns around the protection of vulnerable patients, the regulation of medications used and the involvement of Manx Care in delivering the service.

The society also called for full protection for conscientious objection, insisting that “no clinician or healthcare provider must be compelled to participate in or facilitate the procedure in any form.”

Campaign group Manx Duty of Care argued that the law breaches the European Convention on Human Rights, the Isle of Man NHS Act and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The Isle of Man became the first jurisdiction in the British Isles to approve assisted suicide legislation in March 2025, although further amendments were required before Royal Assent could be granted.

Jersey's assisted suicide law received Royal Assent in July 2026. However, similar legislation was defeated in Scotland in March and at Westminster in September.