Proponents of change insist that public opinion favours such a change. But public opinion probably would re-introduce capital punishment, too, and are we to suspend prudent judgement in that case too? And anyway, isn't the question, which is usually asked " do you want to die in dignity?" And who wouldn't answer yes to that? But to die with dignity we don't need doctors to kill us. Macmillan nurses, hospices, and palliative care give the overwhelming majority in Britain a dignified death which does not involve commissioning doctors and nurses as patient killers. When the physical, psychosocial and spiritual needs of the patient are met, requests for euthanasia are actually extremely rare. Rather than imitating the Dutch, we need to defend and care for the sick and elderly and put our energy into extending compassionate palliative care and hospice provision, and practical loving support -- let's demand " dignity in living" with the same fervour as those who want to license the routine killing of the most vulnerable in society. 'Helping someone to die' has come to mean helping to kill them, not asking them what help they need. Let me end by recalling a warning given at a parliamentary hearing by Dr Robert Twycross, Emeritus Clinical Reader in Palliative Medicine, Oxford University. He insisted that 'euthanasia must never become part of normal medical practice 'and that 'society must safeguard the right to life'. Dr Twycross said that 'if we kill voluntarily we will eventually offer involuntary euthanasia'. Euthanasia, then,