Noel Conway, the terminally-ill motor neurone disease sufferer who has fought for the right to an assisted death, has lost a legal challenge at the court of appeal.

He had argued that the blanket ban on assisted suicide under the 1961 Suicide Act was incompatible with his human rights.

Three senior judges – the master of the rolls, Sir Terence Etherton, Sir Brian Leveson and Lady Justice King, expressed their 'deep sympathy' with Conway and praised the 'dignified and resolute way in which he has been coping with what is a terrible disease'.

However, it said parliament had 'relatively recently rejected legislation along the lines of Mr Conway's scheme' and that it was 'a far better body for determining the difficult policy issue in relation to assisted suicide'.

Etherton said the Divisional Court could fairly conclude that Conway's proposed scheme was 'inadequate to protect the weak and vulnerable' and failed to give enough weight to the 'significance of the sanctity of life' and 'the scheme's potential to undermine trust and confidence as between doctors and patients'.

The decision was welcomed by Christian charity CARE, whose chief executive Nola Leach said: 'We welcome this decision today and the fact that the current law on assisted suicide has been so clearly upheld.

'We recognise how painful and deeply sensitive these issues are. But far from being broken, the current blanket ban on assisted suicide protects the most vulnerable and weak in our society. They would be most at risk from exploitation or coercion were the law changed.'

She added: 'Simply put, there is no way any assisted suicide legislation could be kept safe from abuse or negligence. The evidence tells us that if you open the door to assisted suicide, it's a real slippery slope – just look at Canada where there's been a 30 per cent increase in assisted suicides in the last six months alone.

'It is far better to care for the most vulnerable, rather than creating a culture of pressure where the right to die quickly becomes a duty to die.'

Conway, a member of Humanists UK, was supported in his challenge by the organisation. Its chief executive Andrew Copson said: 'We are disappointed by the outcome of Noel Conway's appeal, and very much hope there is a further appeal to the Supreme Court. It is simply wrong that people in this country who are of sound mind, and are terminally ill or incurably suffering, are denied the choice, dignity, and autonomy to be able to have assistance to end their lives at a time and in a manner of their choosing.'