Opposing assisted dying is a legitimate position. While for many this may stem from deep cultural, religious, or ethical values, there are also specific concerns about safeguarding within this bill that have raised alarm across diverse communities, including those of all faiths and none. At the core of these concerns is a genuine commitment to the well-being of British society.

The UK already faces well-documented and striking health disparities in access to and quality of care for minoritised ethnic and religious groups. Introducing assisted dying risks disproportionately impacting vulnerable communities as a direct consequence of these systemic inequities. Coercion does not always take the form of overt or verbal persuasion—it can manifest subtly through systemic failures, such as inadequate care availability, unresponsive services, and the exertion of indirect but powerful pressure on individuals when making critical decisions about their health and social care. In healthcare and end of life settings, medical teams hold significant influence over patients, further complicating these dynamics.

Our professional experience has shown first-hand that specialist palliative care services in the UK are being hollowed out due to a funding crisis, while primary and community care services remain woefully inadequate to meet the needs of those with palliative illnesses. Introducing such a monumental change to end-of-life care could divert critical resources away from areas of greatest need. Evidence from other jurisdictions has consistently demonstrated that palliative care services are undermined when assisted dying (including assisted suicide and euthanasia) is legalised.

There is also a significant risk that the value of human dignity could be overshadowed by considerations of cost and perceived societal burden. Such an attitudinal shift would impact society as a whole but would disproportionately harm marginalised individuals and communities already facing well-documented discrimination and healthcare disparities.

It is deeply concerning to hear certain stakeholders suggest that legitimate concerns and mistrust within minoritised ethnic communities, and a reluctance to accept assisted dying, are merely the result of coercive cultural or religious beliefs, while overlooking the very real potential for systemic, societal coercion to end life. Such framing, often for political purposes, dismisses the agency and autonomy of these individuals and communities to hold informed, principled positions on morally complex issues such as assisted dying.

The British Islamic Medical Association continues to advocate on this issue, representing the communities its health professionals serve, by opposing assisted dying and calling for robust funding and investment in the health and social care systems that our entire society deserves.