Image source: Shutterstock | House of Keys, Tynwald, Douglas, Isle of Man
The Isle of Man has formally approved legislation legalising assisted suicide, becoming only the second Crown Dependency to change its law despite ongoing concerns about the Bill’s safeguards and its compatibility with human rights protections.
The legislation has now completed its passage through Tynwald, the Isle of Man’s parliament, marking a significant change in the island’s approach to end-of-life care.
Campaigners opposing the law argue that it leaves vulnerable people insufficiently protected and may conflict with the Isle of Man’s obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights, including Article 2, which protects the right to life, and Article 14, which prohibits discrimination.
Among the concerns raised are that the legislation does not adequately assess whether someone requesting assisted suicide is being subjected to coercion, duress or undue influence. Critics also say the law fails to provide additional safeguards for people with conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder and autism, despite evidence that these groups experience higher rates of suicidal ideation.
Dr Graham McAll of ManxDOC said the legislation would fundamentally alter healthcare and palliative care on the Isle of Man if it comes into force.
He warned that doctors and nurses could be forced to choose between referring patients for assisted suicide or leaving the profession, while expressing concern that the law could divert resources away from palliative care.
Dr McAll also highlighted evidence from jurisdictions such as Oregon suggesting that the lethal drugs used in assisted suicide can result in prolonged deaths caused by pulmonary oedema, in which fluid gradually fills the lungs.
Care Not Killing said legal advice it had obtained raised “serious concerns” that the legislation is incompatible with both the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adding that it is considering its next legal steps.
The campaign group also pointed to developments in countries including Belgium, the Netherlands and Canada, where eligibility for euthanasia or assisted suicide has expanded beyond the groups originally envisaged when the laws were introduced.
Dr Gordon Macdonald, Chief Executive of Care Not Killing, said legalising assisted suicide has “profound consequences for society”, arguing that it can create pressure on elderly, disabled and vulnerable people to end their lives prematurely.
John Deighan, SPUC’s CEO, said: “We agree with Care Not Killing that the Isle of Man has entered a grave period in the island’s history that will profoundly change the way medicine is practiced. Assisted suicide cannot be safeguarded, especially for the disabled, but even so this law is particularly bad. It leaves out conscience protections for medical practitioners and may even violate European and International rights frameworks.
“SPUC hopes that any legal challenges will be a success and will do everything in its power to prevent such a law coming into force in England and Wales.”
