The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has taken a neutral position on assisted suicide for the first time in its history, despite opposition among GPs increasing in recent years. A poll of GPs found that only a third of GPs support legalisation.
A poll of thousands of UK GPs was conducted earlier this year to learn the opinion of RCGP members on assisted suicide. 8,779 out of 53,539 members responded to the survey.
Almost half (47.6%) of respondents said that RCGP should remain opposed to assisted suicide, while only a third (33.7%) said it should support legalisation. Just 13.6% said that the College should adopt a neutral position. 5.1% were undecided.
Respondents aged 18-34 years old were most in support of assisted suicide, while those aged 35-54 were most opposed.
“Member” grade GPs – representing 60% of respondents to the survey – were “significantly more likely to state that the RCGP should oppose assisted dying” at 49.8%, compared to RCGP Fellows (38.5%) and GPs currently in training (45.3%).
The RCGP’s opposition to assisted suicide was first affirmed in 2005, then restated in 2014 and 2020 after member consultations.
In 2025, GP opposition to assisted suicide increased. Despite this, the RCGP governing council voted 61% in favour of adopting a neutral position for the first time in the College’s history.
In September 2024, the RCGP Council agreed on recommendations if assisted suicide is legalised, including “a right to refuse to participate in the process”, that it “not [be] part of core general practice”, and “should not have a negative impact on funding for palliative care services in any way”.
Professor Kamila Hawthorne, Chair of RCGP Council, stated: “The College will work to ensure that no GP feels as though they have to participate in delivering assisted dying services – and that these services are provided separately to core general practice.
“We will also be clear that funding should not be diverted from general practice – or palliative care services – in order to deliver these services.”
Earlier this month, British Medical Association (BMA) consultants voted In favour of a motion stating that assisted suicide is not healthcare and presents “serious moral hazards to consultants, and serious potential adverse impacts on health services”.
MP Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill for England and Wales is currently at Committee stage following a first vote supporting the draft law, which proposes to legalise assisted suicide for terminally ill adults given six months to live. A similar bill for Scotland is at Stage 1.
Last week, Danny Kruger MP warned the Committee that the Leadbeater Bill is “a direct contradiction of the Hippocratic oath, which requires doctors to save people’s lives and do nothing to bring about their death – including giving them lethal drugs. It is right there in the Hippocratic oath…
“There is a difference between allowing somebody to die and giving them lethal drugs that make them die.”
A second vote on the Leadbeater Bill at Third Reading is expected in late April.
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