Assisted dying exemption amendment for pharmacists to be debated in Parliament

An amendment to the assisted dying bill that would exempt pharmacy professionals from a requirement to supply substances for use in assisted dying will be debated in the House of Commons on 16 May 2025.

The amendment to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill proposed by Kim Leadbeater MP — who first introduced the Bill in October 2024 — states: “No registered pharmacist or registered pharmacy technician is under any duty to participate in the supply of an approved substance to a registered medical practitioner for use in accordance with section 23.”

Section 23 of the Bill covers the “provision of assistance to end life”, which will be debated as part of the Bill’s report stage.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has a neutral stance on assisted dying, but has called for protections for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who choose not to participate.

In written evidence submitted to the House of Commons Public Bills Committee in January 2025, the RPS said: “Pharmacists and other health professionals should be able to ‘opt in’ to participating in aspects of assisted dying by completing the necessary training, rather than having to ‘opt out’”.

Commenting on the proposed amendment, Claire Anderson, president of the RPS, said: “I know there are a range of views on assisted dying across the profession and many members have had questions about what this might mean for pharmacy teams.

“The proposed amendment is a welcome recognition of pharmacists’ right to conscientious objection.

“Pharmacists should not unknowingly be involved in supporting an assisted dying procedure, directly or indirectly, without their consent. I urge MPs to support this amendment and ensure that the Bill allows pharmacists and their teams to exercise freedom of conscience.”

Malcolm Harrison, chief executive of the Company Chemists’ Association, said: “We welcome this amendment. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians should not be obligated to participate in any aspect of assisted dying if it is against their personal beliefs.”

On 13 May 2025, the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill passed its first vote in the Scottish Parliament.

The Scottish Bill will now move ahead to stage two, where amendments may be submitted.

In a press release, published on 14 May 2025, the RPS called for an opt-in clause written into the Scottish Bill.

“[The] RPS will be encouraging MSPs to put forward an amendment at stage two, which provides pharmacists with the opportunity to opt into the assisted dying process. We are of the belief that an opt in system will provide all pharmacists, whether they wish to be involved or not, with the best protection and clarity about their role in the process,” the statement said.

On 13 May 2025, during a debate on the Scottish Bill, Sandesh Gulhane, a GP and member of the Scottish Parliament for the Glasgow region, said: “No doctor, nurse or pharmacist should feel pressured to be part of a procedure that they do not believe in. We must invest in the systems to implement this proposal safely.”

In November 2024, Fiona McIntyre, policy and practice lead at the RPS Scotland, gave evidence at the Scottish Parliament’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee and said: “We believe that it is vital that pharmacists and other healthcare professionals are able to express their right to conscientiously object.”