MHKs vote to allow Isle of Man assisted dying bill to come forward

Alex Allinson MHK said a consultation on assisted dying will be held later this year

MHKs have backed the introduction of a private members' bill which could see terminally ill adults on the Isle of Man given the right to end their lives.

A majority in the House of Keys voted to allow Alex Allinson MHK's proposed laws on assisted dying to be drafted.

But concerns were raised about consent, safeguarding, and whether the Manx health service could cope with the changes that would be needed.

Dr Allinson said the changes would give terminally ill people a "real choice".

He said the process of assisted dying would be prescribing life-ending drugs to mentally competent terminally ill adults to self administer once "strict legal safeguards" had been met.

The Ramsey MHK said that would allow them "support and choice to have control of their own death if they decided their suffering is unbearable".

Before the bill is drafted, a consultation is set to be held on various principles, including the definitions of an adult and a terminal illness, as well as the legal protections needed, he added.

'Dignified death'

A previous attempt by Dr Allinson to introduce the law change was thrown out in 2020., however the latest bid was supported by 22 of the 24 MHKs.

During the debate, Julie Edge MHK said she felt the bill would be "premature" as the island had not modernised its capacity legislation "to protect the most vulnerable", while Andrew Smith MHK said it was at odds with his Christian values.

Though supportive in principle, health minister Lawrie Hooper MHK raised concerns about Manx Care's ability to deliver the potential changes that would be needed at a time when it was already going through "significant and substantial change".

Supporting the proposal, Daphne Caine MHK said the law would give people the choice to have "a compassionate, dignified death".