ISER experts were asked to assess the reliability of opinion poll data collected by the pressure group, Diginity in Dying, ahead of the parliamentary debate on the right to die.
Dr Tarek Al Baghal and Alexandru Cernat were commissioned by the No to Assisted Dying Campaign to verify the methods of polling, which had reportedly found 82 per cent were in favour of a scheme for assisted dying.
They found that the poll – which was conducted only online – may have excluded certain representative sections of the population – for example older people who do not have access to the internet. They also question the lack of participation in the poll from the terminally ill and the medical profession.
Other flaws included the weighting of questions, with questions in favour of assisted dying placed first, and the absence of an option for ‘don’t know’ as well as language which could be construed as loaded in favour of assisted dying such as ‘unbearable suffering.’
Dr Al Baghal said: “While these problems may have a negative impact on the data, it does not mean that the data is invalid. However, it does suggest that the data needs to be viewed with these possible issues in mind, perhaps using additional sources.”
ISER experts have challenged other survey methods in the past when the data is used for assessing public opinion, including the NHS Family and Friends test, which Professor Peter Lynn found ‘not fit for purpose.’