Voluntary Euthanasia Society (VES)

The Voluntary Euthanasia Society (VES) was formed in the United Kingdom in 1935 by a group of clergy, physicians and lawyers who believed in an adult patient's right to choice near the end of his or her life and the right to die with dignity. Independent of any religious group or governmental agency, the organization, which officially changed its name to Dignity in Dying in 2005, advocates for legal medically assisted dying under tight guidelines and with the patient in charge of pain relief and medical care; more open discussion about dying; and more quality support for medical personnel who must deal with end-of-life issues.

VES educates medical personnel, government officials, and the general public on a person's rights near the end of life. To that end, they supply living wills, a document that allows a person to state what degree of treatment he or she desires when too seriously ill to communicate with healthcare personnel. Choices include asking for life-prolonging treatment or to refuse such treatment.

VES lobbies Parliament to change the current laws, working with a Parliament member to draft the Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill bill. The group states several objections to the current law, including that it is uncertain and arbitrary. The Suicide Act 1961 states that anyone assisting another with suicide has committed a crime punishable by 14 years in prison; in reality, in 15 percent of these cases, no charges are filed.

Furthermore, the law is not preventing doctors or family members from performing euthanasia or “mercy killings.” VES cites surveys showing that doctors perform nearly 3,000 cases of euthanasia annually, while a 2004 poll revealed that 47 percent of people stated a willingness to assist with a loved one's suicide.

The group points out that some terminally ill patients commit suicide before they are unable to do so without help; changing the law, VES believes, will allow these people to live a longer life. Moreover, some UK citizens are traveling to Switzerland, where a group called Dignitas is assisting them with their dying. According to some reports, Dignitas is not limiting this practice to those terminally ill; VES believes that a tightly controlled assisted dying law in the United Kingdom is a better and more humane choice.

Finally, VES cites a 1996 British Social Attitude Survey wherein 82 percent of those surveyed said that people suffering from terminal illness should have the right to ask their doctors for assistance in dying.

VES provides speakers on a donation basis, and they publish a significant number of reports on end-of-life issues. Copies of most of these reports can be downloaded from their Web site (http://www.dig-nityindying.org.uk).

In 1980, VES members in Scotland broke off from the British organization and formed an independent VES association. There are also other VES groups around the world, including the South Australian Voluntary Euthanasia Society (SAVES) and the Voluntary Euthanasia Society of Queensland, Inc. (VESQ), formed in 1987, among others.