英下院、「安楽死」法案可決 歴史的な一歩 懸念点を指摘する声も

【ロンドンＡＦＰ＝時事】英下院は２０日、終末期患への安楽死を導入する法案について４時間にわたる討議を行い、賛成３１４、反対２９１で可決した。これにより英国は、安楽死を認める歴史的な一歩を踏み出した。今後、上院で審議される。（写真は、英ロンドンの議会の外で、安楽死法案に賛成するデモの参加者）
　法改正により、ベルギーやオランダなど、何らかの形での安楽死を認めている欧州その他の国々を模倣することになるとみられる。
　「終末期成人法案」で、ほう助自殺が認められるのは、イングランドとウェールズ居住で、余命６か月未満と診断された成人。医師２人と専門家パネルの承認を受けた上で、致死性薬物を自ら摂取しなければならない。
　法案を提出した労働党のキム・リードビーター議員は、２０日の第３読会での討議で、法改正により末期患者に「思いやりのある、安全な選択肢が提供される」と主張。
　現状維持は、より多くの「痛ましい話」、「痛みや苦しみ、自殺未遂、心的外傷後ストレス障害（ＰＴＳＤ）、（安楽死が認められている）スイスへの孤独な旅、警察による捜査」をもたらすだろうと述べた。
　しかし、同じく労働党のビッキー・フォックスクロフト議員は、この法案には障害者のための十分な安全策が含まれていないと指摘。
　「私たちは、（安楽死を）強要されやすい人々、社会から自分は無用と思われているように感じている人々、国や社会、そして自分の家族の負担になっていると思いがちな人々を守らなければならない」と訴えた。
　議会の外には、賛成派と反対派が集まっていた。
　デービッド・ウォーカーさん（８２）は、６０年間連れ添った妻が亡くなる前に３年間苦しむのを見ていたため、法改正を支持すると主張。
　「もう妻を助けることはできないが、今の私は、同じような状況にある他の人々の力にはなれる。生活の質が失われると何も得られない」とＡＦＰに語った。
　一方、医師のエリザベス・バーデンさん（５２）は、この法案がいったん認められると「危険な坂道」の始まりとなり、安楽死の対象者が拡大するのではないかと心配だと話した。
　「一度許可されると、すべてがずるずるとなし崩しになるのではないか。認知症患者を含め、すべての患者が脆弱（ぜいじゃく）だからだ」と懸念を示した。
　法案は、上院の現会期中、おそらく秋までに承認されなければ廃案となる。
　可決され、国王の裁可を得たとしても、自殺ほう助が導入されるまでにはさらに４年かかる見通しだ。
　今月発表された政府の影響評価では、この制度を利用する患者は初年時に約１６０～６４０人、１０年間で最大４５００人に増加する可能性があると推定されている。
　現在、自殺ほう助は、イングランド、ウェールズ、北アイルランドで１４年以下の禁錮刑が科される。
　スコットランドでは、安楽死を合法化する法案が議会で審議されている。
　マン島の議会は今年３月、英領で初めて安楽死を認める法案を可決した。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2025/06/23-16:15）

Britain's parliament took a historic step towards allowing euthanasia on Friday when MPs backed contentious legislation that would introduce assisted dying for terminally ill people.
Lawmakers in the lower House of Commons chamber voted 314 in favour to 291 to send the proposal to the upper House of Lords for further scrutiny following four hours of emotional debate.
The outcome sparked celebrations among supporters gathered outside parliament who say legalised euthanasia will give people with an incurable illness dignity and choice at the end of their lives.
But opponents attending a neighbouring counter-protest said they feared vulnerable people could be coerced into dying and urged lawmakers to focus on improving palliative care instead.
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill would allow assisted suicide in England and Wales for adults who have been given less than six months to live.
They would have to be able to administer the life-ending substance themselves, and any patient's wish to die would have to be signed off by two doctors and a panel of experts.
A change in the law would see Britain emulate several other countries in Europe and elsewhere that allow some form of assisted dying, including Belgium and the Netherlands.
- 'Heartbreaking stories' -
Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who proposed the legislation, told Friday's so-called third reading debate that a law change would offer a compassionate and safe choice for terminally ill people.
She said maintaining the status quo would mean more heartbreaking stories of pain and trauma, suicide attempts, PTSD, lonely trips to Switzerland, (and) police investigations.
But Vicky Foxcroft, also of Labour, said the proposal did not include adequate safeguards for disabled people.
We have to protect those people who are susceptible to coercion, who already feel like society doesn't value them, who often feel like a burden to the state, society and their family, she pleaded.
Outside parliament, protesters waved placards with slogans including Let us choose and Don't make doctors killers.
David Walker, 82, said he supported changing the law because he saw his wife of 60 years suffer for three years at the end of her life.
That's why I'm here, because I can't help her anymore, but I can help other people who are going through the same thing, because if you have no quality of life, you have nothing, he told AFP.
But Elizabeth Burden, a 52-year-old doctor, said she feared the legislation would open slippery slope where those eligible for assisted dying expands.
Once we allow this. Everything will slip down because dementia patients, all patients... are vulnerable, she told AFP.
- Public support -
MPs in the 650-seat parliament backed an earlier version of the proposed legislation by 330 to 275 votes at an initial vote in parliament last November, a larger majority than Friday's 23.
Since then the bill has undergone several changes, including applying a ban on adverts for assisted dying and allowing all health workers to opt out of helping someone end their life.
MPs added a safeguard which would prevent a person being eligible solely as a result of voluntarily stopping eating or drinking, ruling out people with anorexia.
Britain's medical community and Prime Minister Keir Starmer's top ministerial team are split on the proposed law change. Starmer voted in favour, while his health and justice secretaries opposed it.
But in a YouGov poll of 2,003 adults, surveyed last month and published Thursday, 73 percent or respondents backed an assisted dying law.
Change is coming, hailed Sarah Wootton, chief executive of the Dignity in Dying campaign group.
But Catherine Robinson of Right To Life UK insisted the bill still faces an uphill battle to get through the Lords and her opposition campaign group will be fighting it at every stage to prevent it becoming law.
The House of Lords now needs to approve the legislation before the end of the current parliamentary year, likely in the autumn, or the bill will fail.
If it passes and receives royal assent, it would still be four years before an assisted dying service was implemented.
A government impact assessment published this month estimated that approximately 160 to 640 assisted deaths could take place in the first year, rising to a possible 4,500 in a decade.
Assisted suicide currently carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Separate legislation is going through the devolved Scottish parliament.
At the end of March, the Isle of Man became the first British territory to pass an assisted dying bill.