A new bill has been proposed in Britain and lawmakers are expected to vote Friday. This bill aims to legalize assisted dying, which was introduced on Wednesday. This is the first time in almost a decade that the House of Commons will debate. The debate will discuss if doctors should be allowed to help end people's lives.

History of the Bill

Labour politician Kim Leadbeater in the House of Commons read out the bill that grants terminally ill people in England and Wales a way to allow physicians to help them die.

The bill is called the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. This bill has not been debated since 2015.

Is it the same as Euthanasia?

Many countries allow euthanasia, which is referred to as mercy killing. However, the practice of the same varies legally.

Euthanasia is an act of ending a patient's life to limit the patient's suffering. Here, a patient would be a terminally ill person or someone who is experiencing great pain or suffering.

The word euthanasia comes from the Greek words "ey" good and "Thanatos" death. The idea behind euthanasia comes from the idea of a dignified death that condemns someone to a slow, painful, or undignified death.

What does the UK bill propose?

The bill proposes that only those who are 18 years old and older in England and Wales and those who are expected to die within six months can request assisted dying. The bill states that the person requesting for this must have the mental capacity to make a choice about the end of their life and will be required to make two separate declarations about their wish to die. This two-step declaration along with "robust safeguards" with "three layers of scrutiny", with two independent doctors and High Court Judge to allow the signed off decision is to protect anyone from being pressured or coerced into ending their life.

If anyone is found to dishonestly get someone to take their life through this decision, that person will face up to 14 years in prison.

Assisted suicide is banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and anyone who helps a person end their life can be prosecuted and face up to 14 years in prison.

ALSO READ: UK Presents Bill To Allow 'Assisted Dying': What It Means And How Is It Different From Euthanasia

For administrating medication, the bill provides that the patient must self-administer the life-ending medication. No doctor is allowed to give the medication. The bill also does not allow any health professional to provide assistance to the patient to ensure that the act is committed with patient's will.

However, one of the provisions of the bill does allow doctors to take part by ensuring that they are satisfied that the patient has made their own decision and has done so voluntarily.

How is Euthanasia different in practice?

There are many types of euthanasia, which differs in practice and legality and approval from the state. The types are:

Active Euthanasia: Where a patient is injected with a lethal dose of the drug, also known as "aggressive" euthanasia.

Passive Euthanasia: Where the patient's artificial life support such as a ventilator or feeding tube is withheld.

Voluntary Euthanasia: This happens when the patient consents to it.

Involuntary Euthanasia: This happens when the patient is not in the state to consent to euthanasia. In such cases, the patient's family makes the decision.

Dutch Guidelines of Active Euthanasia

Active Euthanasia is done by giving a fatal dose of a sleeping drug or a lethal drug is injected. After the patient is given a local anaesthetic, Lidocaine is administered, followed by intravenous injection or a coma-inducing drug. After the person falls into a coma, an injection of Rocuronium bromide is given that paralyses all muscles including the ones used to breathe. Shortly after this injection, the patient is declared dead. These steps are as per the Dutch guidelines for active Euthanasia.

The main difference from what the UK is proposing is the involvement of the medical professional in the Ditch guidelines, accepted by many countries. Here, the medical professional administers the lethal drug, whereas the bill proposed in the UK does not allow doctors or any healthcare professional to do so. The patient has to administer the medicine himself, after the two independent doctors and the High Court Judge verifies that it is done so voluntarily.

Countries Where Euthanasia Is Legal

• Australia
• Belgium
• Canada
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• Luxembourg
• The Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Portugal
• Spain

Being the leading cause of death worldwide, cancer diagnoses can change the trajectory of a person’s life. New cancer stats reveal that an estimate of 2,041,910 new cancer cases will be diagnosed in the US, and about 600,000 have been estimated to die due to the disease. As you may know, cancer is a generic term for a lot of different diseases that affect our health. A malignant cancer diagnosis means that there is a rapid growth in abnormal cell growth which can affect various parts of your body.

According to the World Health Organization, cancer causes nearly 1 in 6 deaths globally and had accounted for 20 million deaths in 2020. The question remains, has the advancement in research and public education helped lower cancer cases or recognized any concerning patterns?

New information from Cancer Research UK, looking at 50 years of health data, shows both good and bad news about cancer. On the one hand, the number of deaths from cancer has gone down by more than one-fifth, which is a positive sign. However, the number of people being told they have cancer has actually gone up by 50%, showing a worrying increase in new cases.

More Young People Getting Cancer

One of the most concerning things we're seeing is how much more young people, under the age of 50, are getting cancer. Specifically, for those between 20 and 49 years old, cancer rates have shot up by 23% since the 1990s. Scientists are now working hard to understand why this is happening and what's causing this significant jump in cancer cases among younger individuals. Several factors are being explored as likely contributors to the rise in early-onset cancers:

Obesity, Poor Diet, and Inactivity

These lifestyle choices are strongly linked to the increase. Research into the rise of colon cancer among young people, for instance, revealed that more than a third of those studied were obese. It has been observed that individuals developing cancer at a younger age tend to have significantly higher rates of obesity compared to those diagnosed later in life.

Diet and the Microbiome

The food we eat greatly affects our gut health. It's suggested that outside elements like microplastics or chemicals could be altering this balance, potentially contributing to cancer development. Experts stress how important it is to start healthy eating and exercise habits early. There's also a warning not to forget that certain drinks can be just as risky as unhealthy processed and sugary foods.

Smoking's Declining Role

It's interesting to note that smoking is probably not the reason for the increase in cancer among young people. Experts have actually seen a drop in cancers linked to smoking across almost all age groups. This suggests that while smoking is a known cause of cancer, its decreasing popularity means it's not behind the current rise in cases among younger generations.

Despite more young people getting cancer, Cancer Research UK's report highlights that we are currently in a very positive time for cancer treatment. Thanks to advancements, one in two people diagnosed with cancer are now expected to live for at least 10 years. This is a huge improvement from the 1970s, when only one in four patients reached that milestone, showing great progress in saving lives.

If you have ever had a migraine then you would know that it is not just a headache, but it comes in phases. It starts with you being sensitive to all noise, smell, and even taste, feeling a bit dizzy, and losing out on your energy. Then there is a throbbing pain, this is when you know your migraine has reached its peak.

What Are The Stages Of Migraine?

There are four main stages of migraine, which starts from predrome, aura, headache, and then postdrome.

What Do These Stages Mean?

Predrome

This stage is like a warning stage where there may be certain physical and mental changes. These include feeling tired, excessive yawning, food cravings, changes in your mood. You may feel low or irritated. Your body feels dehydrated and you might feel thirsty, have stiffness around your neck and may pass more urine.

This can last for 24 hours.

Aura

This happens to a third of people with migraine, notes The Migraine Trust. There are various neurological symptoms that happens in this stage, which includes changes in sight. This means, one may see dark spots, coloured spots or sparkles, often described as stars and zigzag lines. There could also be numbness, feeling like pins and needles on your body, you may also feel weakness, dizziness, and have problems with speech and hearing.

The Migraine Trust notes that aura is the result of wave of nerve activity that spreads over the brain, it is also known as cortical spreading depression. When this electrical wave spreads, the nerves fire in an abnormal way and this range of reversible neurological symptoms develop.

This can last from five minutes to 60 minutes.

Headache

As per the American Migraine Foundation, the headache phrase of a migraine attack is characterized by pain on one or both sides of the head. This phase lasts from several hours to up to three days.

This phase can vary from person to person. While some can experience mild pain, for others it could be a debilitating pain.

The pain, in this phase, also shifts from one side of the person's head to other. In this phase, doing everyday activity like walking, turning on the lights, or any slight change, movement, sensory actions can aggravate the pain.

Postdrome

This phase is also called "migraine hangover". This happens during the end of headache phase. The American Migraine Foundation notes that not everyone experiences this phase, however, it occurs in most cases, in about 80% of people.

In this phase, the headache could be debilitating, but then it follows with fatigue, body aches, and trouble concentrating, dizziness and sensitivity to light. While in this phase the headache is ending, however, people could still be sensitive to smells, tastes and sensory actions.

Things are constantly changing and revolutionising in the health system. Thanks to technologies, there are now new ways to "heal". One such way is by indulging yourself in to the world of virtual reality and gaming, writes Dr Sathyanarayana LD, Consultant neurosurgeon at Narayana Health, Bengaluru for South First.

He notes that many people undergo surgery to remove brain tumors, which are one of the most complex and could be life-altering conditions for someone to face. Brain tumors could be benign or malignant, however, both affects the person's speech, motor function, memory, and their ability to perform day-to-day activities. This is the reason why, post-surgery, patients may be left with impairments, including physical, cognitive, and emotional. But thanks to technological advancement in the field of health, virtual reality (VR) and gaming have become "powerful tools for neurorehabilitation".

Dr Sathyanarayana notes that these means are not just for entertainment anymore. Since these means offer a more immersive and interactive experience, they have the potential to enhance the effectiveness of the treatment and also speed up the healing process, post-surgery.

How Does It Work? Why Does It Work?

The doctor notes that recovering from brain surgery is an intricate and lengthy journey. The brain does not return to full function immediately after the procedure; instead, it must gradually rebuild and rewire itself to regain what was lost.

This remarkable ability of the brain to reorganize and adapt, shaped by continuous learning and experience, is called neuroplasticity. It is through neuroplasticity that the brain creates new neural pathways to compensate for damaged areas and restore lost capabilities. In this complex process of rebuilding, gaming and virtual reality (VR) are emerging as powerful allies.

VR places patients in immersive, computer-generated environments that stimulate multiple senses at once—sight, sound, and even body awareness, known as proprioception. These rich sensory experiences actively engage different areas of the brain, sparking changes at the synaptic level, where neurons communicate with each other.

By simultaneously activating motor, sensory, and cognitive regions of the brain, VR encourages synaptic plasticity and broader neural reorganization. This multi-layered engagement fosters a more cohesive and efficient path to recovery, helping the brain rebuild its networks in a meaningful and impactful way.

Relearning Movement Through Virtual Play

Post-surgery, many patients face motor impairments like weakness or poor coordination. Virtual reality offers a safe and stimulating space to relearn movement through repetition and task-specific training—key elements for motor recovery.

For instance, VR games that simulate cricket—batting, catching, or goalkeeping—encourage repeated use of the shoulder, arm, and hand, helping restore motor skills. These games also adapt in difficulty and provide real-time feedback, keeping patients motivated while preventing fatigue.

Watching and participating in virtual activities also stimulates mirror neurons—cells involved in motor learning—which may strengthen communication between remaining healthy brain circuits and support recovery.

Training the Brain to Think Again

Beyond physical rehabilitation, brain surgery often impacts attention, memory, decision-making, and problem-solving. Gaming and VR can simulate real-life tasks in a structured, repeatable way, challenging cognitive functions in an enjoyable format.

Games involving memory recall, puzzles, and strategic decision-making push the brain to stay active. Over time, this improves working memory, executive function, and mental sharpness—key components of cognitive healing.

Emotional Healing in a Virtual World

Recovery is not just physical or cognitive—it’s deeply emotional too. Patients may feel anxious, depressed, or lose confidence. Immersive VR experiences can provide psychological comfort by offering calming spaces or achievement-oriented challenges.

These environments give patients a chance to see their progress, rebuild self-esteem, and stay hopeful—factors that are vital for long-term motivation and adherence to recovery routines.

Why VR and Gaming Work in Neurorehab

Repetition with engagement: Games make repetitive rehab feel enjoyable, which is essential for promoting neuroplasticity.

Customized progress: VR systems offer real-time biofeedback and adaptive difficulty, ensuring that challenges remain effective and engaging without overwhelming the patient.

Affordable and scalable: Innovations from institutions like IIIT Hyderabad’s Serious Games Lab are making VR solutions accessible and low-cost, even for rural and public healthcare settings.