LONDON , England ( CNN ) -- A British woman who suffers from multiple sclerosis has lost her appeal to clarify Britain 's laws on assisted suicide , a charity working with the woman said Thursday . Debbie Purdy and husband Omar Puente pictured outside the High Court in October 2008 . But the woman did get a strong hint that anyone who helped her travel to a country where assisted suicide is legal would not be prosecuted . Debbie Purdy , 45 , had asked the Court of Appeal to clarify Britain 's laws on assisted suicide -- an option she has said she wants if her pain one day becomes unbearable . Under the current laws , Purdy says , it is not clear at which point her husband would be breaking the law if he helped her to travel to an assisted suicide clinic . Purdy was appealing an October ruling by the High Court , which also refused to clarify the laws . Purdy suffers from primary progressive multiple sclerosis , in which symptoms become progressively worse over time . She has said she wants the option to travel abroad to have an assisted death should her condition deteriorate . Under Britain 's current law , Purdy 's husband , Omar Puente , could face 14 years in prison if he accompanies her to a country , such as Switzerland , where assisted suicide is legal . Purdy had asked the High Court judges to tell her at what point Puente would be subject to prosecution -- whether it would include helping her into a car , sitting with her on the plane to the clinic , or helping her with her bags . In its judgment Thursday , the appeal court did imply Puente would be safe from prosecution . The judges referred to the earlier case of Dan James , a 23-year-old British rugby player who died in an assisted suicide last year . James had been paralyzed from the neck down in a rugby accident . James ' parents , Mark and Julie James , flew with their son to an assisted suicide clinic in Switzerland . They faced questions on their return to Britain but were not prosecuted . The court said the decision not to prosecute the Jameses `` is illustrative not only of the care with which the issue in these cases would be approached , but also an extremely helpful example of the kind of broad circumstances in which ... the ultimate decision would be that a prosecution should not be mounted , '' according to an excerpt released by Dignity in Dying , the charity that worked on Purdy 's case . `` If the prosecution amounts to an abuse of process , the court will dismiss it , '' the court said in its judgment . Purdy said that wording made her feel like she had won her argument , even though she lost the appeal . `` I am very grateful for , and respect the ruling of the appeal court , '' she said in a statement . `` They have done everything they can do to clarify that , given the Dan James judgment , Omar would be unlikely to be prosecuted if he were to accompany me abroad for an assisted death , and we are therefore one step closer to the clarification I need . '' Dignity in Dying has said it is important for the British government to distinguish between people who maliciously encourage suicide and those who accompany a loved one abroad to die . Under current law , the 1961 Suicide Act , assisting a suicide is a crime punishable by up to 14 years imprisonment . Anyone who aids , abets , counsels or procures the suicide of another , or an attempt by another to commit suicide , is liable . Dignity in Dying has said it ultimately wants British law changed to allow the terminally ill the choice of assisted death . To date , no one who has accompanied a loved one to the Swiss clinic Dignitas has been prosecuted , but they have been questioned by police and threatened with prosecution , according to Dignity in Dying . `` The courts have done all they can , '' said Sarah Wootton , chief executive of Dignity in Dying . `` They make quite clear that only Parliament has the authority to change the law . If there 's no public interest in prosecuting , there must be a public interest in updating the law to remove doubt . ''
UK court rejects appeal calling for clarification of laws on assisted suicide . But verdict hints anyone helping another go elsewhere to die would n't be prosecuted . MS sufferer Debbie Purdy wants option to travel abroad for assisted death . Parents of rugby player who died in Switzerland last year were not prosecuted .