IOM doctors call for referendum on assisted dying

A renewed call has been made for a referendum on the potential introduction of assisted dying laws on the Isle of Man.

Amendments to the Assisted Dying Bill 2023 are set to be debated by Tynwald in June after the UK's Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said it could not recommend it for Royal Assent until several safeguards were added.

The Isle of Man Medical Society has now called any further progress with the bill to be "paused" to allow for a referendum on the issue, which could be organised at the same time as the island's general election in September.

It said key concerns remained over the possible impact on the island's medical workforce, safeguarding, and potential clinical uncertainty.

The bill would give terminally ill adults on the island with less than 12 months to live the right to choose to die.

A previous bid by the chief minister to build in the need for a referendum ahead of any laws on the issue coming into force was narrowly defeated during the bill's progress through the House of Keys in 2024.

A survey of doctors in 2023 showed 74% of those who took part were against the proposed changes, with 34% saying they would consider leaving the island if the laws were introduced.

That followed a public consultation on the issue the previous year which saw opinion finely split, with 49.61% of the 3,326 respondents disagreeing with the principle of assisted dying while 49.01% agreed.

The private member's bill, which was brought forward by Alex Allinson MHK, passed all of its stages in the House of Keys and Legislative Council in March last year before being sent for Royal Assent.

But the MoJ has called for safeguards relating to independent monitoring, coercion, and capacity to be added directly to the bill, rather than promised in secondary legislation, before that can be recommended.

The society said the amendments set to be put forward in June "do not make the bill safe, workable, or legally robust".

Tynwald members should consider detailed legislation on the issue "only if a clear public mandate is established through a referendum", it said.

If there was support from the Manx people, the bill should be brought forward as a government one, which would ensure "full departmental oversight, cross-government co-ordination, and the level of scrutiny appropriate for such a profound change in public policy", it added.

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