The End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill was published in January 2010, sponsored by Margo MacDonald MSP, and was defeated 85-16 after a debate in the Scottish Parliament in December 2010.

The Bill purported to allow assisted suicide (where a patient is provided with lethal drugs by a physician for self-administration). In fact it went much further. It would also hve legalised euthanasia (where a physician administers lethal drugs to a patient directly).

CARE for Scotland encouraged opposition to the Bill as we believed it would have a significant detrimental effect on attitudes and practices within Scottish society.

What’s in the ELA Bill?
Click here to read the whole Bill and its accompanying notes.
Click here for a helpful summary of the Bill from the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care. (PDF)
Click here to read a 2-page briefing on the ELA Bill. (PDF)

Care Not Killing
Care Not Killing is a UK-based alliance spearheading the campaign to ensure that the existing laws on euthanasia and assisted suicide are not weakened. CNK is an alliance of human rights organizations, healthcare and palliative care groups and faith-based organizations. Click here to go to the CNK website to find out more about the whole issue of assisted suicide.