Euthanasia and Doctor-Assisted Suicide are Illegal under British Law

January 18, 2006

But almost 3,000 people in the UK were hastened to their death by their doctor. There were 936 voluntary euthanasia deaths (i.e., patients requested euthanasia), 1,930 “non-voluntary” euthanasia deaths and 0 assisted suicides. The balance of the deaths was attributed to withdrawing or withholding treatment with the intention of hastening death.

The figures, extrapolated from the study, show rates of euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide which are significantly lower than anywhere else in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, where similar studies have been done.