Dr Michael Irwin, President of the World Federation of Right to Die Societies and Chairman of the British Voluntary Euthanasia Society, was arrested at his home in England and taken to the Isle of Man for questioning following the death in late October of Patrick Kneen, 74, after a long battle against prostate cancer (see box). The case has raised several disturbing issues. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

When Dr Irwin visited him in Douglas earlier in October, Mr Kneen was already too ill for Dr Irwin to help him end his life, a fact apparently recognized by the police. Nevertheless, they are considering whether to charge Dr Irwin with conspiring to assist a suicide. Under the UK’s draconian and wide-ranging conspiracy law no crime need have been committed; it is only necessary for two or more people to have discussed the possibility of committing a crime – in this case for Dr Irwin and Mrs Kneen to have discussed the possibility of Dr Irwin assisting Mr Kneen to end his life – for Dr Irwin to be faced with up to 14 years in jail.

Following his arrest Dr Irwin stepped down as Chairman of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society, whose board offered him less than their full support. In articles in the national newspapers, Deborah Annetts, the VES Chief Executive, is quoted as saying: “We are taking this news extremely seriously and have launched an internal investigation into the matter. The society’s constitution states that we campaign within the law for greater patient choice at the end of life. Everyone who works for VES or acts on our behalf is made aware of their obligation to campaign within the law at all times.” This stance is itself questioned by many members of the VES.

By contrast, the Executive Committee of the World Federation have offered Dr Irwin their support, urging him to stay on as president.

Dr Irwin has been a long-time campaigner for voluntary euthanasia and, in the past, has admitted to helping several of his terminally ill patients to die by offering fatal quantities of drugs to ease their suffering.