Assisted dying could become option on Isle of Man by 2027 after bill to delay rejected
Assisting dying could become an option on the Isle of Man as soon as 2027 after a move to delay it was narrowly defeated.
Members of the House of Keys (MHK) voted 12 to 11 to reject a proposal of a referendum to be held, which would have delayed any legislation coming into effect.
It means the bill, which is currently being scrutinised by MHKs, is expected to receive a Third Reading in the House of Keys in the coming months.
MHKs were urged to reject the referendum by campaigners to ensure "dying people in the Isle of Man do not have to wait any longer for choice and control at the end of their lives", group Dignity in Dying said.
Sarah Wootton, Chief of Executive of the campaign group, said: “The decision sends a clear message that dying people don’t have time to wait for a safe and compassionate law that gives them the choices they need.
"The flawed referendum amendment was a clear attempt by opponents to delay the Bill’s introduction and cause further unnecessary suffering to dying people and their families.
"Polling has shown strong public support for assisted dying. Today’s debate has moved that one step closer."
The proposed legislation has been debated by the House of Keys where topics including the wording of the law, the medication and parameters of use were discussed.
Debates have so far decided that those who have been given a prognosis of 12 months left to live would be able to use the proposed law, where they would have to take life-ending medications themselves rather than being administered by a doctor.
The bill puts the Isle of Man on the path to become the first part of the British Isles to legalise assisted dying.
Dr Alex Allinson introduced the Private Member’s Bill in 2022 in his capacity as a MHK for the Ramsey area on the Island.
The GP, who is also the Isle of Man government’s Treasury Minister, said he is confident the Island’s parliament has the time to “craft the right bill”.
Anti-assisted dying campaigner Peter Murcott has said the assisted dying bill has "many legal flaws", and is "against the will of God".
The former law lecturer describes the bill as 'assisted suicide', claiming that there are many on the island who are against the proposed change.
Speaking outside Tynwald, he said: "On May 17 2023, government adopted a suicide prevention strategy. Now this becomes a suicide provision strategy, because the bill is about assisted suicide, about amending the existing law.
"I cannot understand how you can spend public money on providing something that you're going to prevent because the prevention strategy takes public money, and this bill will take public money - trying to do two contradictory things."
If the proposed legislation passes the Third Reading it will progress onto the Legislative Council for further debate and scrutiny.
The Bill could then receive Royal Assent as soon as 2025, followed by consideration of how the legislation will be implemented, with assisted dying potentially available to terminally ill Manx residents from 2027.