Majority of British doctors ‘in favour of assisted dying’

MOST doctors are now in favour of assisted dying, a top medical journal has revealed.

A new survey of 776 published in the BMJ found that 55 per cent are supportive of helping patients to die.

The journal, one of the oldest and most influential in the UK, claims there is ‘good evidence’ the practice ‘works well’.

A special edition published today argues that the ‘great majority’ of the British public are also in favour of assisted dying.

Dr Fiona Godlee, the BMJ’s editor-inchief said: ‘The BMJ supports the legalisation of assisted dying. The great majority of the British public are in favour and there is now good evidence that it works well in other parts of the world, as a continuation of care for patients who request it and are in sound mind.

‘We believe that this should be a decision for society and Parliament, and that medical organisations should adopt at least a neutral position to allow an open and informed public debate.’ But one leading doctor and peer, who has written an article for the journal, claims the practice would put vulnerable patients at risk.

Lord Ribeiro, former president of the Royal College of Surgeons, argues that it would undermine patients’ trust.

The BMJ, formerly known as the British Medical Journal, has been strongly in favour of assisted dying since 2014.

In a controversial editorial published in July that year, its editor said the terminally ill should be able to ‘call time on their own lives’. Confusingly, the British Medical Association, which owns the BMJ, is opposed to assisted dying, along with most other medical organisations.

Under prosecution guidelines introduced in 2010, doctors are not allowed to help anyone kill themselves.

A family member or friend who does so may escape prosecution, depending on the mitigating circumstances. Several recent polls have shown that more and more doctors would be prepared to help patients end their lives. This latest survey was carried out by the Doctors.net website, used by 227,000 doctors, in October 2017.

Dr Jacky Davis, a consultant radiologist from North London, said: ‘Other jurisdictions have proved that it is possible to change the law, and doctors have shown that such laws can work hand in hand with excellent palliative care.

‘The case for a change in policy is now stronger than ever.’

But Lord Ribeiro argued that assisted dying should not be made legal.

He warned that ‘the involvement of doctors in assisting death was ‘ open to misinterpretation’.

Assisted dying is legal in Canada, the Netherlands and certain states in the USA including Oregon, California, Washington and Vermont.

Doctors prescribe a powerful painkiller and patients inject it themselves, under supervision. Death should occur within 30 minutes but there have been reports of the process taking three days.