British House Defeats Right-to-Die Legislation

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Written By A. Urti

The British House of Lords has voted against a bill which would have made it legal for doctors to prescribe lethal drugs to terminally ill patients of sound mind.

Though the Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill was defeated 148 to 100, the vote is merely a six-month delay, at the end of which the bill’s sponsor, Lord Joel Joffe said he would reintroduce similar legislation next year.

According to CNS News, there was fear that Joffe may have had a collaborator in the House of Commons, the lower house of the British parliamentary system, which is typically an indicator that legislation will be passed in both houses before the end of the year. Read More