After receiving evidence on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, the House of Lords Select Committee has produced a report.
The Committee considered the question of conscientious objection. The Committee considered that the conscientious objection provisions in the Bill were narrowly focused on doctors. It pointed out that other healthcare professionals, including pharmacists and nurses, could also be affected and suggested that the Bill should protect the interests of all members of the clinical team.
The Select Committee report did not address the question of whether substances used to end life would be medicinal products. It recommended that the Bill should set out procedures under which a prescription for lethal medication may be given and the necessary drugs obtained, along with the responsibilities, rights and immunities of the persons involved, such as doctors and pharmacists.