Assisted dying: the pressure for change.

McEvoy in his editorial is clearly not in favour of the proposed legislation to enable assisted dying for the terminally ill, mentally competent patient whose suffering is unbearable.1 Unfortunately, he, along with other prominent medical and political opponents, seeks to mislead your readers by repeatedly referring to euthanasia. This is where a doctor administers a life-ending medication as in the Benelux countries, whereas with the proposed Falconer/ Marris Assisted Dying Bill it is the patient who must take the life-ending medication themselves, placing them firmly in charge of their own death. It is their ultimate choice that is to be respected. Indeed, Oregon has had an identical bill for 18 years, and this year Canada and California, with combined populations of 73 million, joined Oregon, Washington, and Vermont in passing the same Assisted Dying Bill. I believe that Dr McEvoy may wish ‘the profession to uphold its ethical stance’ but the pressure for change has now become inevitable and the RCGP should now engage with this reality.