Archive: Medical Ethics

High court rules against abortions at home

BPAS argued women should be able to take pills at home

The high court has rejected a legal attempt to allow women having an early medical abortion to take some of their pills at home.

Under-14 abortions increase 21%

Tory MP attacks multiple abortions

Cameron backs abortion restrictions

Failing doctors 'not held to account'

The system of scrutiny for the medical community left MPs unimpressed.

Doctors whose practices have concerned authorities are not being properly scrutinised, an influential committee of MPs has found.

'Motive' is new focus for assisted dying prosecutors

Assisted dying: New guidelines published today

The "motivation of the suspect" has been made the main focus for prosecutors when they assess assisted dying cases, but the director of public prosecutions has denied relaxing rules on euthanasia.

Comment: Legislation is not the answer for assisted suicide

You can't legislate for assisted suicide or euthanasia satisfactorily enough for murder not to go unpunished.

New assisted dying policy in full

Read prosecutors' new factors for and against prosecution in assisted dying cases here.

Comment: We need legislation, not guidance

The director of public prosecutions should never have been put in this position. Parliament is abstaining from its responsibility.

Pratchett wants right-to-die tribunals

Terry Pratchett wants assisted dying tribunals

Tribunals should be set up to help give terminally ill people permission to die, author Terry Pratchett will demand later.

Scotland votes on right to die

Scotland votes on the right to die today

MSPs will vote on whether to give terminally ill people the right to die today.

New guidelines allow nuances in assisted dying prosecutions

Long awaited guidelines on assisted suicide have been published by director of public prosecutions (DPP) Keir Starmer.

Controversial new guidelines on assisted suicide have been published by director of public prosecutions (DPP) Keir Starmer.

Commons pressured to make right-to-die call

Debbie Purdy's law lords win has forced the DPP to prepare a clarification

Keir Starmer, the man responsible for clarifying right-to-die legislation, has voiced concerns at parliament's ability to decide the issue.

Government to ban private transplants

It has emerged that more than 700 transplants were carried out on non-UK patients in the past decade.

The government is to ban all private transplants of organs from dead donors in the UK.

Lords stop attempt to legalise assisted dying

The House of Lords has rejected a move to legalise Brits taking their loved ones overseas for assisted suicide.

Assisted dying debated by Lords

Peers are discussing proposals by Lord Falconer

The House of Lords is currently debating the coroners and justice bill as prominent members seek to amend the Suicide Act of 1961.

Doctors vote down Christian demands

The motion to allow faith sharing was defeated

Doctors have voted down a Christian motion which would have allowed them to "share their faith" with patients.

Late abortion data 'should remain secret'

Late stage abortions - should data be public?

Data on late abortions performed because of minor disabilities should remain confidential, the government will argue today.

Hewitt pushes for assisted suicide without fear

Hewitt is "troubled" by current legislation on assisted suicide

Former health secretary Patricia Hewitt is pushing MPs to support a controversial law change enabling people to take terminally ill patients abroad for assisted suicide without fear of prosecution.

British couple die at euthanasia clinic in Switzerland

The Dignitas clinic has now had several British visitors

A British couple who were both suffering from terminal cancer have ended their lives together at a voluntary euthanasia clinic in Switzerland, their family have confirmed.

MS sufferer denied euthanasia judgement

A woman suffering from multiple sclerosis has lost an appeal to clarify the UK law on assisted suicide.

Brown firm on assisted suicide

Gordon Brown remains firm on assisted suicide

The government has no intention of legalising assisted suicide, Gordon Brown has made clear.

PM wades into euthanasia TV debate

A still from the Syy Real Lives programme

Gordon Brown has waded into the debate on tonight's programme showing a man dying in an assisted suicide clinic in Switzerland.

Paralysed rugby player 'killed himself'

The death of the paralysed rugby player whose death overseas reopened the British debate on euthanasia has been judged a suicide by the coroner.

Scientists to deny Brown's organ donor rules

Patients currently have to opt into the system

Gordon Brown's proposal to make everyone a prospective organ donor unless they actively decline is set to be denied by the government's advisory board next week.

Warning over UK's 'organ tourists'

Britons travelling abroad for organ transplants may be receiving organs from donors who have not given their consent, the chief executive of the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) has warned.