As Kim Leadbeater MP’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill proceeds through its committee stage, the pharmacy professions are among the key stakeholders whose voices are notably absent.
The committee process should provide a rigorous examination of draft legislation, not only listening to the voices of supporters, but also to representations from relevant professions and concerns raised by those with relevant expertise. This is essential to the legislative process in all cases, but is especially critical given the seismic implications of legislating for assisted suicide.
In November 2024, I was pleased to see that Fiona McIntyre, policy and practice lead at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Scotland, gave evidence before the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee as it considered the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill.
In England and Wales, however, while input is being sought from other healthcare professions (the committee will be hearing from the chief medical and nursing officers for England, the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Nursing, as well as — albeit reluctantly — the Royal College of Psychiatrists), the committee has not seen fit to invite representatives of pharmacy bodies to the table. This notwithstanding that, under the Bill as currently drafted, pharmacists (and wider pharmacy teams) would have a central role in facilitating the process of assisted dying, although much ambiguity remains.
While it is encouraging to see that written evidence from the RPS and fellow pharmacist Greg Lawton captures some key issues for pharmacy professionals, this does not negate the gravity of the committee failing to hear direct oral representation.
Irrespective of one’s views and experiences of assisted suicide, it should be common ground that a bill of this nature requires the highest level of scrutiny. I encourage colleagues to consider whether this life-and-death Bill can be fit for purpose if our professions do not have the opportunity to shape its development.
Isaac Moore, pharmacist and PhD researcher, University of Strathclyde
