MPs have voted to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales after their final debate on the change in the law. After months of deliberation and scrutiny, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was backed by 314 votes to 291, a majority of 23.

Lawmakers in Britain have narrowly approved a bill to legalize assisted dying for terminally ill people, capping a fraught debate in Parliament and across the country that cut across political, religious and legal divides.

The UK’s House of Commons will hold a final vote on Friday on whether to allow assisted dying, a move that could usher in a significant cultural shift over how to handle those with terminal illnesses.