The Legal Status of Assisted Dying in Major Countries: Global Update 2024
Overview of Assisted Dying Legislation Worldwide
PARIS, July 15 (Reuters) - France's National Assembly on Wednesday gave final approval to a bill allowing adults with an incurable illness to receive lethal medication, bringing France in line with some other European Union countries that allow assisted dying under strict conditions.
Below is a list of countries that allow people to choose to end their lives in certain circumstances, or are considering doing so.
France
Key Provisions of the New Law
France's new legislation permits medically assisted suicide, allowing adult patients who suffer from an incurable condition that is life-threatening and impacting their quality of life, or is in a terminal stage, to self-administer lethal medication.
Eligibility and Restrictions
Only a person whose physical condition prevents them from taking the lethal medication themselves can seek the help of a doctor or nurse. They must be of lucid thought. Mental illness alone does not allow a person to benefit from medically assisted suicide.
The right to assisted dying in France applies to French nationals and people residing legally in the country.
Legal Review and Next Steps
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has said he will refer the bill to the Constitutional Council, which will have up to a month to judge whether it complies with the Constitution.
United Kingdom
Legislative Developments
Britain's elected members of the House of Commons approved the "Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life)" bill in 2025, raising hopes that a law change was likely in the coming years.
Current Status
But in March, the bill failed in the unelected upper Chamber, the House of Lords. The legislation would have given mentally competent, terminally ill adults in England and Wales with six months or less left to live the right to choose to end their lives with medical help.
It now looks set to be debated again in the new parliamentary session.
Switzerland
Historical Context
Switzerland legalised assisted dying in 1942 on condition the person assisting does not have selfish motives, making it the first country in the world to permit the practice. A number of Swiss organisations such as Dignitas offer their services to foreign nationals.
United States
State-Level Legislation
Medical aid in dying, also known as physician-assisted dying, is legal in 10 states: California, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Washington, plus the District of Columbia. Oregon was the first state to legalise it under a law which came into effect in 1997.
Netherlands
Legal Framework
The "Termination of Life on Request and Assisted Suicide (Review Procedures) Act" came into effect in 2002. A doctor is immune from punishment for euthanasia and assisted suicide where patients are experiencing "unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement". Minors can request euthanasia from the age of 12 but require parental permission before the age of 16.
Belgium
Scope of the Law
Belgium legalised medically assisted dying in 2002 for the terminally ill and for people experiencing unbearable suffering, which includes patients with psychiatric conditions. Since 2014, those under 18 who are terminally ill are covered by the law as long as they have parental permission.
Canada
Evolution of Legislation
Canada introduced "Medical Assistance in Dying" in 2016 for those whose death was deemed to be "reasonably foreseeable". Five years later, the law was extended to permit people with a "grievous and irremediable" medical condition to request assisted dying.
Australia
Regional Implementation
Voluntary assisted dying for the terminally ill or those with a condition that is causing intolerable suffering is legal across most of Australia, after being introduced first in Victoria in 2019.
Spain
Recent Legalization
Spain approved a law in 2021 which allows euthanasia and medically assisted suicide for people with incurable or debilitating diseases who want to end their life.
Portugal
Legislative Challenges
In 2023, after years of political wrangling, presidential vetoes and constitutional challenges, Portugal enacted a law allowing medically assisted dying for adults enduring intense suffering caused by a serious and incurable illness or a severe and permanent injury.
Constitutional Court Ruling
However, a 2025 Constitutional Court ruling struck down parts of the legislation and it has never entered into law. Until lawmakers revise the legislation, medically assisted dying will remain unavailable in Portugal.
Germany
Judicial and Legislative Developments
Assisted dying was possible in Germany until 2015 when the country outlawed its provision on an organised or commercial basis, effectively banning it in many cases. Five years later, the country's top court ruled in favour of groups providing terminally ill adults with assisted suicide services, but lawmakers are yet to finalise new rules.
Ireland
Parliamentary Recommendations
A cross-party Irish parliamentary committee recommended in 2024 that the government should legalise assisted dying in certain restricted circumstances.
Government Response
Ireland's justice minister said in June that the government has not yet taken a decision about any of the proposals.
(Editing by Richard Lough, William Maclean)
