Voluntary Euthanasia Legalization Society

British organization

Also known as: Euthanasia Society

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Last updated

July 15, 2026

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The Voluntary Euthanasia Legislation Society (VELS) was founded in England in 1935 by C. Killick Millard, a retired physician. This organization was established to advocate for the legalization of euthanasia, which is the act of painlessly ending the life of someone suffering from an incurable disease or incapacitating condition. VELS was later renamed the Euthanasia Society.12

In the United Kingdom, euthanasia and medical aid in dying (MAID) are currently illegal. However, there have been recent legislative developments, with Parliament voting in favor of bills that could legalize MAID in England and Wales under specific conditions.3

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euthanasia
Historical perspectives
…Legalisation Society (later called the Euthanasia Society). The society’s bill was defeated in the House of Lords in 1936, as was a motion on the same subject in the House of Lords in 1950. In the United States the Euthanasia Society of America was founded in 1938.
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…Legalisation Society (later called the Euthanasia Society). The society’s bill was defeated in the House of Lords in 1936, as was a motion on the same subject in the House of Lords in 1950. In the United States the Euthanasia Society of America was founded in 1938.
Read More