In his recent critique of the UK’s proposed Assisted Dying Bill—what he calls the “DeathWish Bill”—Javed Bashir urges policymakers and the public to confront the stark realities behind legalising assisted dying. He highlights the significant financial, ethical, and societal risks that such a move might introduce. Bashir warns of the potential for an insidious “scope creep,” where the bill, initially intended for extreme cases, could expand in unforeseen and troubling directions.
He raises a crucial point on safeguards, stressing the need to protect vulnerable individuals from coercion and prevent a culture where financial pressures could make assisted dying seem like an economic solution rather than a deeply personal, autonomous choice. As Bashir puts it, “Now more than ever, we must resist the push for legalisation and instead strengthen our commitment to palliative care and support systems that uphold dignity without undermining our humanity.”
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