By Abiola Olawale
A controversial bill seeking to legalize assisted dying in Britain is scheduled for introduction in Parliament on Wednesday.
This signifies the first time in almost a decade the House of Commons will deliberate on the contentious issue of allowing medical professionals to play a role in facilitating end-of-life decisions.
The bill, to be presented by Labour politician Kim Leadbeater, aims to establish a framework that would provide terminally ill individuals in England and Wales with the option to seek medical assistance in bringing about a peaceful end to their lives.
The intricate details of this proposal are yet to be unveiled and will be disclosed later this month, leading up to a crucial Parliamentary vote.
Speaking on the development, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised that lawmakers will have a “free vote,” assuring that they will not be obliged to vote along party lines.
It would be recalled that Starmer had supported a 2015 assisted dying bill and has said, “There are grounds for changing the law.”
The New Diplomat reports that Assisted dying, where patients take a lethal drink prescribed by a doctor, is legal in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and parts of the U.S., with regulations on qualifying criteria varying by jurisdiction.
Checks by the New Diplomat reveal that the development has been generating mixed reactions in Britain. While some are supporting the bill, others have expressed their disapproval, saying there is no way to change the law without endangering vulnerable people.
