Intended for healthcare professionals

Letters Voluntary assisted death: ensuring access and safety

Assisted dying poses significant risks to disabled people

BMJ 2024; 387 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.q2730 (Published 09 December 2024) Cite this as: BMJ 2024;387:q2730
  1. Tirion Hughes, academic foundation year 1 doctor and disability campaigner
  1. Oxford, UK
  1. tirion.hughes{at}doctors.org.uk

I’m concerned that disability isn’t mentioned in The BMJ’s recent articles on assisted dying,1 although many important viewpoints have been considered, including palliative care underfunding and inaccuracies in estimating life expectancy. I’m not fundamentally opposed to assisted dying for terminally ill people (other arguments notwithstanding), but my experiences as a disabled person and doctor tell me this cannot be achieved in the current sociopolitical climate without putting disabled people at significant risk. Countries like Canada show a clear …

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