Facts and Figures

Here's an interesting article from The Guardian which is a useful contribution to the debate around assisted dying.

The data from around the world confirms exactly what I expected, assisted dying is not for everyone and most people will not choose to end their lives in this way. 

But for a significant number of people assisted dying is an important issue and those individuals ought to have the right to end their lives at a time of their own choice, so long as appropriate safeguards are in place.

How many people choose assisted suicide where it is legal?

We take a look at the rates in the places where assisted dying is legal as the issue is debated in the House of Lords

By Sophie Warnes - The Guardian

The late Tony Nicklinson, who campaigned for the right-to-die. Photograph: Emma Hallett/PA

Today, the House of Lords is debating the Assisted Dying Bill, introduced by Labour peer Lord Falconer. Lord Joffe, a strong supporter of the bill and former human rights lawyer, has estimated that if the Assisted Dying Bill passes, 1,000 people will choose to go through assisted suicides a year – but is this right?

The figures were based on Oregon’s statistics involving their Death With Dignity Act, which was passed in 1994. Oregon was the first US state allowing terminally-ill people to end their lives through self-administration of lethal medications.

Looking at Oregon’s statistics since 1998, the number of people choosing to use the Act when they are terminally ill has steadily risen over the years. It is also interesting to note that there are far more prescriptions given out than deaths – just over a third of people who initially get prescriptions change their minds or choose to extend their life.

Since then, other states have followed suit – Washington passed a Death With Dignity Act in 2008 and Montana in theory allows it, but the figures in Washington look quite different. For instance, there isn’t as large a gap in numbers between those who were given prescriptions and those who died.

In Europe, Belgium and the Netherlands also have assisted suicide laws, but they do not allow foreigners to come into the country to take advantage of the law, as Switzerland does.

British people are the second-biggest clients for Dignitas, the Swiss non-profit which aims to help terminally-ill people who wish to be allowed to die with dignity. In total, 244 Britons have undertaken assisted suicide with Dignitas, suggesting that there’s demand for a change in the law.

The demographic make up and different culture in Oregon means that the figures there will not directly apply to the UK but it's a good reference point to see how much of an effect it's had on their population.

In 2013, 0.21% of all deaths in Oregon were due to the Death With Dignity Act, and the latest data (from 2012) on assisted deaths in Washington is very similar at 0.23%. In the same year, there were 576,458 deaths in England and Wales.

Using a more conservative estimate of just 0.2% each year, and the latest available statistics from the states currently allowing assisted suicide, that would have been between 1,153 and 1,326 people choosing assisted suicide in England and Wales.

That’s a couple of hundred more more than Lord Joffe estimated, but not far off.