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Medical Treatment (Prevention of Euthanasia) Bill

This is the text of the Medical Treatment (Prevention of Euthanasia) Bill, as presented to the House of Commons on 15th December 1999.

 
  
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
 
 
 
  
Medical Treatment (Prevention of Euthanasia) Bill
 
 
 
 
ARRANGEMENT OF CLAUSES
Clause 
1.Withdrawal or withholding of medical treatment.
2.Interpretation.
3.Short title, commencement and extent.
 

 

 
 
A

B I L L

TO

Prohibit the withdrawal or withholding of medical treatment, or the withdrawal or withholding of sustenance, with the intention of causing the death of a patient; and for connected purposes.

BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-
 

Withdrawal or withholding of medical treatment.     1. It shall be unlawful for any person responsible for the care of a patient to withdraw or withhold from the patient medical treatment or sustenance if his purpose or one of his purposes in doing so is to hasten or otherwise cause the death of the patient.
 
Interpretation.     2. In this Act-
 
 
    "medical treatment" means any medical or surgical treatment, including the administration of drugs or the use of any mechanical or other apparatus for the provision or support of ventilation or of any other bodily function;
 
    "patient" means a person suffering from mental or physical illness or debility;
 
    "sustenance" means the provision of nutrition or hydration, howsoever delivered.
Short title, commencement and extent.     3. - (1) This Act may be cited as the Medical Treatment (Prevention of Euthanasia) Act 2000.
 
      (2) This Act shall come into force at the end of one month beginning with the day on which this Act is passed.
 
      (3) This Act extends to England, Wales and Northern Ireland only.
 
 

 
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