British Medical Association (BMA) Guidance

On 24 August 2026, the British Medical Association (BMA) published guidance for Caring for patients who elect to voluntarily stop eating and drinking to hasten death (VSED).

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The BMA describes its guidance as follows:

 

"This guidance provides clarification about the law and ethics of VSED, so that doctors have the information and reassurance they need to engage in patient-centred care, and understand what actions can be taken by the healthcare team when supporting patients through VSED."

 

Talk VSED welcomes the publication of the BMA guidance and regards it as an important development. Although BMA guidance is not regulatory guidance, the BMA has considerable professional standing, and we hope its clear explanation of the law and doctors’ responsibilities will give healthcare professionals greater confidence when responding to people who are considering or have chosen VSED.

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Talk VSED was invited to contribute to the BMA’s targeted consultation on the draft guidance. We are pleased that the final version reflects a substantial proportion of the points we raised during the consultation, including several matters that we consider particularly important.

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We are currently reviewing and updating the information on our website in light of

the BMA guidance.

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