Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

BBC News reported on September 30, 2025 that Jersey, a self-governing island territory of the British Isles, will postpone its assisted dying debate until January 20, 2026. This is the second time Jersey has postponed the assisted dying debate.

When speaking in Jersey in November, 2023, I emphasized the fact that in all jurisdictions that have legalized assisted suicide that the law has eventually expanded. I told several stories from Canada outlining how different doctors will interpret the parameters of the law in different ways. I also emphasized that giving doctors, the right in law to kill, changes the role of the doctor and directly affects medicine.

The BBC report stated:

Politicians have delayed a debate on a draft law to introduce assisted dying in Jersey.

Ministers had pledged to bring the law to the States by the end of the year, but politicians said they wanted more time to scrutinise the proposals.

Tom Binet

Christie Bailey reported for The Bailiwick Express on October 1, 2025 that Deputy Tom Binet has proposed a requirement that Jersey citizens have a statatory right to end-of-life care. Bailey reported:

Deputy Tom Binet said the statutory duty to provide end-of-life care would provide a “counterbalance” to the proposed assisted dying legislation, which is due to be debated in January and could come into effect in 2027.

The Minister for Health and Social Services said:

“It is an important principle that any person seeking an assisted death should be making a real choice.

“No person should choose an assisted death on the basis that they cannot access – or believe they cannot access – high quality end-of-life care services.”

While speaking in Jersey, I found that, since the population of the Island is relatively small that many people were inter-connected.

I hope that Jersey will respect the inter-connected nature of the culture, create an obligation to good end-of-life care, and reject the concept of medical killing.