Professor Penney Lewis:

I have reservations both about the procedural solution and the way in which it is being implemented in England. It is still difficult for people to know what will happen and they still face the prospect of being investigated by the police on their return from Switzerland. Exporting suicide to Switzerland is not fair, as it results in people either travelling earlier than they would have wished or being prevented from travelling because they are too unwell or do not have money to travel. It is expensive to have an assisted suicide at Dignitas. The figure that is most often circulated is approximately €10,000 which is a significant burden for people approaching the end of life who may well have other financial difficulties.

My concerns about the specifics of the policy are that there are no requirements or even factors related to the patient's condition. This means one does not have to be terminally ill and there is no requirement that one be suffering unbearably. In many ways, this regime is more liberal than the Dutch or Belgian regimes. I would not be in favour of simply transplanting this model into any other jurisdiction.