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Royal College of GPs drops opposition to assisted dying

Joe Higgins, Policy and Campaigns Officer

March 19, 2025

Our Charity

We are delighted that the RCGP has dropped its longstanding position of opposition to assisted dying.

Humanist Society Scotland has welcomed the decision of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) to end its long-standing opposition to assisted dying. Last week college council members voted to adopt a neutral stance on a change in the law. This decision follows the result of a UK-wide survey commissioned earlier this year, which confirmed the broad range of views held by GPs on assisting terminally ill patients to end their life.

In adopting a position of neutrality, the RGCP joins the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Royal Colleges representing nurses, surgeons, physicians and anaesthetists. All of these organisations once opposed a change in the law, but have shifted in recent years as support for assisted dying grew amongst their members and the wider public.

Over 900 GPs working in Scotland responded to the survey, which revealed significant levels of support among members for a change in the law. 36% said they believed the RCGP should support assisted dying being legal, subject to appropriate regulation and safeguards. 44% supported continued opposition to a change in the law. Taken together, a slim majority of Scottish GPs surveyed held either a supportive or neutral stance on the issue of assisted dying.

Our CEO Fraser Sutherland said:

“By taking a neutral stance on assisted dying, the RCGP can now properly represent the full spectrum of views we’ve always known existed among their members. The results of their recent survey in Scotland are also extremely encouraging, with most respondents indicating a positive or neutral view on the provision of legal assisted dying. Opposition claims that the medical profession stands united against compassionate end-of-life choice simply don’t reflect the reality on the ground. If MSPs vote to pass Liam McArthur’s Bill, GPs supportive of a change in the law will finally be able to support the small number of eligible patients who seek a peaceful and dignified death.”

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