Back in March 2024, Liam McArthur, Member of Scottish Parliament (MSP), introduced the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill. This legislation would allow eligible terminally ill adults in Scotland to request and be assisted by healthcare professionals to end their own life. The bill is currently being debated in Scotland and could potentially be voted on in Holyrood next year.
The Student spoke to students at the University of Edinburgh about their views on this issue, and attended a panel discussion with Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrat MSP for Orkney) hosted by the university on 14 November. Professor Robin Taylor, Dr Gillian Wright, and Dr Gillian MacDougall were also members of the panel.
Assisted dying and euthanasia are terminology both used in this debate. Assisted dying refers to someone who is terminally ill receiving lethal drugs from a healthcare professional, to administer themselves. This is what McArthur’s Bill involves. Euthanasia is a different practice, as it is the act of deliberately ending someone’s life with lethal drugs to relieve suffering. The individual may not be terminally ill, and euthanasia can either be voluntary or involuntary. Both assisted dying and euthanasia are currently illegal across the UK.
Assisted dying is legal in Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and some US states like Oregon and California.
Attempts to change the law in Scotland have occurred before, with the End-of-Life Assistance Bill debated in 2010, and Assisted Suicide Bill in 2013. Both Bills were defeated in Parliament by MSPs.
Arguments for the legalisation of assisted dying are mostly founded on individual autonomy. Professor Michael Gill, the head of the University of Edinburgh philosophy department, explained that those who support assisted dying emphasise an individual’s right to choose how to die, not whether to die. Other arguments for legalising assisted dying include the fact that individuals can refuse or discontinue lifesaving treatment if they wish, thus giving them control over their death. People with terminal illness may also be suffering from immense pain, which cannot be relieved with palliative care.
Helena, a second-year student, said that she thought people with minimal quality of life or in end-of-life care would benefit most from the legalisation of assisted death. Second-year student Edwin told The Student that patients on life support can “financially take a huge burden”, and this only prolongs suffering for the individual and their family.
Dr Gillian MacDougal, part of Friends at the End which campaigns to legalise assisted death in Scotland, reflected on her experience as an ear, nose, and throat doctor treating patients experiencing chronic pain. She believes that legalising assisted dying would make death more regulated and safer, as some individuals suffering from terminal conditions commit suicide independently. Dr MacDougal also thinks that this bill will make dignified death more accessible, as flying to Switzerland to access Dignitas is expensive and legally complicated. Liam McArthur MSP believes that the lawful provision of assisted dying will give people autonomy, dignity, and control over their death, and make Scottish society more compassionate.
45.5% of the students surveyed said they would “definitely” support the legalisation of assisted death in Scotland, with 45.5% saying “maybe” and another 9.1% saying they don’t know. Over 80% of students said that their moral beliefs had the greatest influence on their opinion on this topic.
Many groups have opposed the legalisation of assisted dying, due to concerns about the impact on marginalised groups. Dr Gillian Wright, Director of Our Duty of Care which opposes the legalisation of assisted death, emphasised her concern about disabled people feeling social pressure to end their lives. Legalising assisted death could imply that the lives of those with illness and disability are not worth living.
Limited access to and poor experience of palliative care could also influence an individual’s decision to choose assisted death. Although McArthur’s bill would only allow those with terminal illness to access assisted dying, other countries have widened eligibility since initially legalising the practice for terminally ill people. Canada, for example, now allows those suffering from nonterminal conditions to seek assisted death – and a planned amendment to include people with mental illnesses is also being debated but is currently challenged in court. Professor Robin Taylor also cited concern about the role of healthcare professionals, saying that the role of doctors in assisted dying would go against the hypocritic oath to ‘do no harm’.
A second-year student expressed concern for people potentially not considering their decision for long enough. Fundamentally, groups that oppose assisted dying emphasise the need to fix the UK’s palliative and social care system instead, a view that the Health Secretary Wes Streeting shares as he has publicly opposed legalising assisted death in England.
60% of the students surveyed said they think this issue is best resolved by a referendum in Scotland. The Scottish Parliament is yet to officially vote on McArthur’s bill, but the views shared in this article by students, healthcare professionals, and academics highlights how important this conversation is for everyone and why this bill is so significant beyond politics and beyond the walls of Holyrood.