Man with locked-in syndrome challenges GMC ruling on doctors’ involvement in ending his life

A man with locked-in syndrome has launched a legal challenge to the General Medical Council’s (GMC) guidance limiting the extent to which doctors may help him in ending his life.

The man, referred to as Martin, asked the High Court in London to rule that GMC guidance on assisted suicide unreasonably prevents doctors from helping patients who want to die.

Martin, 50, who is almost totally paralysed after a stroke, tried to kill himself by refusing food and water, but the attempt failed “in distressing circumstances,” the …