On the 13th May the Isle of Man’s House of Keys (parliament) voted in favour of introducing a Bill to allow terminally ill adults the right to choose medical help to die.
After learning of the campaign for an assisted dying law by Isle of Man resident Patrick Kneen, who has prostate cancer, Member of the House of Keys (MHK) John Rimington and Quintin Gill introduced a motion: “That leave be given to introduce a Bill to enable a competent adult who is suffering as a result of a terminal or a serious and progressive physical illness to receive medical help to die at his own considered and persistent request”.
Members of the House of Keys voted 15 to 4 in favour of the Bill. However, an amendment was made that the law would be changed “subject to a select committee of five members taking evidence on the subject matter of the Bill and reporting back to the House before its introduction”.
Working with VES and local campaigners, Patrick Kneen and his wife Pat have set up Manx For Death With Dignity and provided the content for the following website .
To read the local story prior to the debate go here .