Pro-life groups cite Western Australia’s 243% rise in euthanasia cases as concern over assisted suicide legalisation

Pro-life groups in the UK have expressed deep concern over the experiences of countries like Australia, where the legalisation of assisted suicide has led to significant increases in euthanasia cases. Evidence from Western Australia, where the law has been in place for five years, suggests that the number of euthanasia deaths has risen by 243 per cent in just four years. This has raised alarm among campaigners who argue that the supposed safeguards in place are often ignored or ineffective.

Since 2000, there have been at least 10 attempts to legalise assisted suicide in the UK, often backed by Labour’s Lord Falconer. Despite these efforts, attempts to pass such legislation in Westminster and Scotland have failed. However, pro-life advocates remain vigilant, warning that the momentum for change is not slowing.

Right To Life UK has called for the idea of assisted suicide to become “unthinkable,” emphasizing the need for urgent action. In their latest report, the group highlighted data from Western Australia, where the Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) Board reported that activity across its services was “more than 10 times higher than predicted at implementation.” This suggests that the law may be having unintended consequences that were not fully anticipated.

One of the most troubling findings from the report was that over a quarter of patients engaged in “doctor shopping,” making multiple first requests in the hope of finding a doctor willing to approve their request. This raises serious concerns about the integrity of the process and the potential for exploitation.

Another alarming trend was the discovery that over a quarter of those who made their “final request” for assisted suicide did so without completing the nine-day waiting period, which is meant to provide a cooling-off period for those who may change their mind. This indicates a possible failure in the system to protect vulnerable individuals.

The data also showed a 34 per cent increase in applications for assisted suicide and euthanasia from people who were not receiving palliative care. Many of these individuals had not received any palliative care for at least a year, raising questions about the appropriateness of the process for those who may not have access to adequate medical support.

In over a thousand first assessments for people seeking assisted suicide, none were identified as being induced by coercion. This could mean that either there were no such cases or that the system is failing to detect them, which has serious implications for the protection of vulnerable individuals.

Alisdair Hungerford-Morgan, Chief Executive of Right To Life, has called for an urgent inquiry into the VAD system, warning that the rate of assisted death in Western Australia is now the highest in the state and one of the highest in the world. He also expressed concern that further expansion of the law and the removal of safeguards could lead to even greater risks.

Source: Read the original report