- It could make France the next European country to legalise euthanasia for the terminally ill patients by allowing them to “choose the path of least resistance when death has already arrived."
- Euthanasia, also called mercy killing, is the practice of ending the life of a patient to limit their suffering. Instead of condemning someone to a slow, painful, or undignified death, it allows one to ‘die with dignity’.
- 2 Types of Euthanasia
- Active: Involves an active intervention to end a person’s life with substances or external force, such as administering lethal injection.
- Allowed in Belgium, Canada, etc.
- Passive: Refers to withdrawal of life support or treatment, such as ventilator, that is essential to keep a terminally ill person alive.
- Allowed in Austria, Finland, Norway, etc.
- Allowed in Austria, Finland, Norway, etc.
- Active: Involves an active intervention to end a person’s life with substances or external force, such as administering lethal injection.
- Ethical conundrum with Euthanasia
- Arguments for: Personal liberty to execute a living will to refuse treatment, right of a dignified life by preventing needless suffering, etc.
- Arguments against: Devalues human life as taking life is inherently wrong and immoral, against medical ethics of nursing, care giving and healing, etc.
Legal status of Euthanasia in India
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