London: Helping the terminally ill to end their lives should be made legal, a report is expected to be recommend this week.
The independent Commission on Assisted Dying is set to call for it to be legalised for a limited category of people with fatal diseases, and to be strictly monitored.
Strict procedures
The commission, chaired by the former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer, is expected to criticise the legal framework which means that relatives face prosecution and even imprisonment for helping loved ones to commit suicide.
It will suggest that those who encourage or assist another to die should no longer be threatened with prosecution in certain cases.
There must also be strict procedures to ensure that terminally ill people are made fully aware of the palliative and social care available to them.
The findings, to be published this week, will reignite the fierce debate between supporters and opponents of assisted dying.
Critics have raised concerns over the impartiality of the commission, which was set up and funded by the author Sir Terry Pratchett, who has Alzheimer's disease, and high street businessman Bernard Lewis. Both are supporters of legalising assisted dying.
Lord Falconer himself has previously warned that the law on assisted suicide was "no longer fit", while most of the individuals on the 11-strong commission have expressed their support for a change in the law in the past.
Prime Minister David Cameron has made clear that he opposes any moves to legalise assisted dying and the Government is unlikely to accept the commission's recommendations.
At present helping someone to commit suicide is a crime that can bring a 14-year jail sentence.
— Daily Mail
