Number of West Midlands’ Dignitas deaths revealed as UK assisted dying laws slammed as 'barbaric'

The Assisted Dying Coalition's new research, which spans from November 2002 to August 2023, has brought recent statistics to light of the Swiss organisation Dignitas - leading to criticism of the UK's assisted death laws as 'barbaric'.

It is estimated that a Dignitas-assisted death at their Zurich clinic costs about £10,000. The research reveals that many of those seeking assisted dying abroad are suffering from neuro-degenerative conditions, and not all are necessarily within the last six months of their lives.

According to The Assisted Dying Coalition, this highlights that any assisted dying legislation should focus on the level of suffering rather than the remaining lifespan.

Out of the UK residents who have used Dignitas' services between 2005 and 2022, nearly half, 201 out of 405, had a neurological diagnosis. Also, there has been increase in UK members of Dignitas, from 781 in 2010 to 1,528 in 2022.

The new research shows that between November 2002 and August 2023, wealthier local authorities have higher rates of individuals traveling abroad for assisted dying; Greater London had 108 cases, followed by Kent and Surrey with 20, Hampshire with 19, and Devon and East Sussex with 18.

Get the latest headlines, straight to your inbox, with BirminghamWorld’s free emails In contrast, only 12 individuals from the West Midlands made the journey to Dignitas during the same timeframe. Counties further from airports, where travel is more difficult and costly, see fewer instances of assisted dying. Out of the top 10 counties, eight were in the south of England.

Nathan Stilwell, an Assisted Dying Campaigner for Humanists UK, stated: "This report clearly shows that the UK’s assisted dying law is broken, brutal and barbaric. We must stop exporting compassion to Switzerland and give choice, freedom and dignity to the people in this country who are suffering. 

"Having a postcode lottery to end suffering, and an unequal system, where only the rich and physically able can take advantage, is absolutely wrong. 31 jurisdictions around the world, accessible to nearly 400 million people, prove that compassionate options are available. Adults of sound mind, who are intolerably suffering from a physical, incurable condition deserve the freedom and right to have a dignified end-of-life choice on their own terms."

The Assisted Dying Coalition is a collective of organisations within the UK and Crown Dependencies that support the legal recognition of the right to die for individuals who have a clear and settled wish to end their life and are either terminally ill or experiencing incurable suffering.

What is the latest update on the UK Assisted Dying Bill?

The Assisted Dying Bill is currently going through the House of Lords and is at the second reading stage, with several other stages yet to go. The bill would allow terminally ill, mentally capable adults to have the option of accelerating their deaths with medical assistance.

Currently, assisted dying is illegal in the UK, and anyone who is considered to have been involved in an assisted death could be prosecuted for murder or manslaughter. Between 2009 and 2021, there were 167 cases of assisted death referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in the UK.

Of those, three cases resulted in convictions, one was acquitted after trial, eight were referred onwards for prosecution for homicide or other serious crimes and eight are currently ongoing. The police withdrew 32 cases and 110 were not proceeded with by the CPS.

Noel Conway, of Shrewsbury, was a staunch campaigner, challenging the blanket ban on assisted dying in the UK. He suffered from motor neurone disease after being diagnosed in 2014, and died at home in 2021, aged 71.

The Assisted Dying Coalition is the UK and Crown Dependencies coalition of organisations working in favour of legal recognition of the right to die, for individuals who have a clear and settled wish to end their life and who are terminally ill or facing incurable suffering.

To read their full report visit humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024-03-14-ADC_dignitas_single.pdf