It follows a telephone poll and leaflet drop by the death with dignity organisation Guernsey4Dad.

The Advisory and Finance Committee is concerned envelopes used marked "urgent election message" may be giving the impression it is behind the campaign.

The Guernsey4Dad group said it was campaigning so competent terminally ill adults would be able to request help to die at their own informed request.

Strict safeguards

The Guernsey4Dad (doctor-assisted dying) group has been running the phone and postal polls to gather support for voluntary euthanasia, which the group plans to present to candidates for the forthcoming election.

The Advisory and Finance Committee said it had received a number of phone calls from people believing it was behind the campaign. It is saying it is not.

Guernsey4Dad said that if euthanasia became a legal choice, strict safeguards must be in place.

It said these had to include at least two doctors establishing the adult patient was suffering unbearably and all alternatives had been exhausted, and that patients had to be advised about all treatment and care alternatives.

A States working party looking into the subject was recently seeking the views of Guernsey's health workers on the issue of voluntary euthanasia in the island.

It hopes to submit its report to the Advisory and Finance Committee by the end of March.