Petition · past parliament · Department of Health and Social Care

Allow prescribing of drugs to induce death for those in coma on end of life care

Closed 145 signatures

What the petition asks

We want medical professionals to be able to prescribe life-limiting medication, which induces death, to patients on end of life care (sometimes called the end of life pathway) who have been put into an induced coma because life can no longer be supported.
Where a patient on end of life care is placed in an induced coma with no supporting nutrition, we believe allowing the prescription of life-limiting medication can provide a more humane treatment to the alternative of death resulting from starvation. We believe this should be allowed in these circumstances.

We believe planned loss of life prescribed and administered by medical professionals will reduce distress to patients and relatives, and allow palliative care services to give support over a shorter period and allow more positive direction/expectations to relatives.

Timeline

17 Apr 2024 Petition opened for signatures
29 May 2024 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 145
Status Closed
Department Department of Health and Social Care
Opened 17 Apr 2024
Closed 29 May 2024

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.