British Members of Parliament on Friday supported a proposed ban on advertisements for assisted dying services, a measure intended to be enacted if new UK legislation allowing terminally ill people to be helped to die becomes law.
This development occurred as lawmakers debated contentious proposals for legalised euthanasia, with protests for and against the bill taking place outside parliament.
During the debate, MP Kim Leadbeater, the legislation’s sponsor, put forward an amendment that would mandate the government to introduce regulations prohibiting assisted dying advertisements.
This amendment, alongside another preventing health professionals from raising the subject of euthanasia with child patients, received backing from lawmakers.
MP Paul Waugh, however, unsuccessfully argued for even stricter advertising restrictions, citing fears that private companies could “profit from death” and the potential for “online harm of an ad for a website about assisted dying shared on TikTok” among teenagers.
The “Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill” is currently at its report stage within the lengthy parliamentary process, allowing for proposed amendments. If passed, the bill would permit assisted suicide in England and Wales for adults with an incurable illness who have a life expectancy of less than six months and are capable of self-administering the substance that causes their death.
The proposed legislation had previously gained significant support, passing a parliamentary vote of 330 to 275 last November.
Campaign groups have reacted sharply to the bill’s progress. Dignity in Dying celebrated the November vote as a “historic step towards greater choice and protection for dying people,” while Christian Concern denounced it as a “very Black Friday for the vulnerable in this country.”
Media reports suggest some lawmakers who initially supported the bill might withdraw their backing due to concerns over safeguards designed to protect vulnerable individuals from feeling pressured into assisted dying.
The medical community also remains divided. The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) have both expressed concerns.
However, some healthcare professionals, including seven RCPsych members, have publicly supported the bill, describing it as “workable, safe, and compassionate.”
MPs are scheduled to continue debating amendments on June 20 before a final vote at the bill’s next stage, the third reading. Should it pass, it would then face another vote in the House of Lords.
Leadbeater’s initiative is a private member’s bill, meaning it is not part of the government’s official agenda, although Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer voted in favour during the November reading.
A change in the law would align Britain with several other countries in Europe and globally that already permit some form of assisted dying.
