Isle of Man moves closer to introducing assisted dying laws

During five hours of debate, the focus also fell on the declaration a terminally ill person would have to make to prove their “clear and settled intention to end their life”.

Dr Randall, along with Baroness Ilora Finlay, took questions from MHKs and expressed their opinions on issues including consent and coercion.

He told members, if introduced, the law would represent an “absolute shift in medical practice and ethics” and he opposed the bill as he felt it was his “duty” to protect people who could be most vulnerable.

“I think you can make it safer, [but] I am not convinced in my conscience that you can make it safe 100% safe,” he said.

While a similar law in Canada had been passed “with the best of intentions”, challenges in its courts had led to it being extended to people with some mental health conditions who were not terminally ill.

Baroness Finlay, a doctor and professor of palliative medicine, told MHKs that she had concerns over whether doctors should be responsible for guaranteeing that anyone seeking to end their lives was not being coerced into it as there were questions they “cannot ask”.

Agreeing there could be situations that would lead to “pressure” being applied to expand the law beyond those who were terminally ill, she urged MHKs to “listen to your own medical society”, which has opposed the bill.

However, Dr Allinson argued the proposed laws were not similar to those in Canada but took their model “very much” from the attempt by Lord Falconer to introduce legislation in the UK.

Further consideration of clauses of the bill is expected to take place on 11 June.