In a landmark judgement, the UK Supreme Court on Monday ruled that legal permission will no longer be required to end care for patients in a long-term permanent vegetative state.
The ruling makes it easier to withdraw food and liquid to allow such patients to die when families and doctors are in agreement. Medical staff will now be able to remove feeding tubes in such cases without having to apply to the Court of Protection, under previous laws.
Currently, both euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal in the UK with the only exception “passive euthanasia” - when treatment that might extend someone’s life is withdrawn.