Citizens’ jury backs assisted dying law change

The jury spent eight weeks listening to experts and campaigners and reviewing evidence.

It was drawn up to be representative of the general public, both in terms of demographics and age as well as attitudes to assisted dying. This meant a majority – 17 – of those who took part were in favour of assisted dying at the start, in line with polling.

Alongside asking them whether they wanted to see a change in the law, the jury was also asked why.

Of the 28 who voted, 20 ended up backing assisted dying at the end, with seven against it. One person remained undecided. Members of the jury changed their views both ways.

The jury supported both physician-assisted suicide, where the health professional prescribes lethal drugs for eligible patients to take themselves, and voluntary euthanasia, where a health professional administers the drugs to the patient.

The most common reasons for backing a change were to stop people living in pain at the end of their lives, giving people the knowledge they can die with dignity, and the importance of allowing people options and choice.

However, concerns were expressed that a new right to assisted dying could lead to it being misused if the right safeguarding was not put in place and could lead to a loss of funding for end-of-life care.