Major support for mercy killing

Diane Pretty is fighting for the right to end her life by assisted suicide

Most people in the UK think it should be acceptable to help a person suffering from a painful incurable illness to commit suicide, a study shows.

More than 80% of people thought it was acceptable for a doctor to assist a patient to die (physician assisted suicide, or PAS) and 54% felt a family member should be allowed to do so (family assisted suicide).

This compares with 75% in favour of PAS in the US and 73% in Australia, according to the report published in the Journal of Medical Ethics.

Britain has the most repressive assisted dying laws in Europe, and the government has failed to address the many problems this creates

Deborah Annetts, Voluntary Euthanasia Society

The authors warn this represents a snapshot of attitudes that may change in the light of events such as Dr Harold Shipman, who was convicted of murdering some of his patients.

The study results were based on just under 1,000 people's responses, extracted from the 11th British Social Attitudes Survey, published in 1994.

The results are also ahead of the high profile case of Diane Pretty, who has motor neurone disease.

The 42-year-old wants to end her own life, with the help of her husband Brian, who would be prosecuted if he tried to help her.

During the latest round of her High Court battle, last November, the Director of Public Prosecutions said he had not ruled out the possibility that he would take Mr Pretty to court on a charge of aiding and abetting a suicide under the Suicide Act 1961.

The Voluntary Euthanasia Society (VES) believes the study shows how people's opinion has shifted.

Changing attitudes

VES Director Deborah Annetts said: "Over 80% of the British public support a change in the law so that competent, terminally ill people like Diane Pretty can choose the dignified death they want.

"Britain has the most repressive assisted dying laws in Europe, and the government has failed to address the many problems this creates.

"The European Court of Human Rights has an opportunity next month to address this when it hears Diane Pretty's appeal."

Dr Shipman may have changed public opinion

The organisation Against Legalised Euthanasia Research and Teaching (Alert) thinks these findings may be dated and that the Shipman case will have affected people's opinion.

Alert's Andy Berry said: "There is scepticism among the general public about doctors and health authorities in general that I don't think was there in 1994.

"Also, people's attitudes change.

"A young 20-year-old might feel if he could not play football his life isn't worth living, but when he gets to 50 or 60 and has got grandchildren his attitude will change."

In the survey, researchers found support for relaxing the laws on euthanasia was no stronger among older age groups or those with a disability.

They found people with strong religious convictions were more likely to oppose such a move.

Those of non-Christian faiths or no faith, were more likely to support it.