This document discusses euthanasia and its classification, components, legal status in India, and consequences. It defines euthanasia as the intentional ending of a patient's life by a doctor at the request of the patient or family member. Euthanasia can be voluntary, non-voluntary, or involuntary. It also distinguishes between active euthanasia, which uses lethal substances, and passive euthanasia, which withholds treatment. While passive euthanasia is legal in India, active euthanasia remains illegal. The document also notes debates around autonomy, medical ethics, abuse potential, and slippery slope concerns with legalizing euthanasia.

1. EUTHANASIA
By – Dr. N.K. Gupta
*Prof of General Surgery, Emergency Medicine
and Cardiothoracic Surgery
**M.B.,B.S,; M.S.; M. Ch (CMC, Vellore),
ACME, FIACS, PGDHHM,
Dr. Uma Gupta
*Head & Prof. Obstetrics & Gynecology
*M.D, MARD, FAIMER (CMCL 2012),
PGDHHM

2. DEFINITION
 Euthanasia is intentional immediate ending of a
patient’s life (suicide by proxy) by a doctor or
nurse, at the request of the patient or his
designated relative.

3.  Under present law, voluntary euthanasia would
except in certain narrow circumstances, be regarded as
suicide in the patient who consents and murder in the
doctor who administers;
 Even on a lenient view, most lawyers would say it
could not be less than manslaughter in the doctor, the
punishment for which according to the jurisdiction and
degree of manslaughter, can be anything up to
imprisonment for life.

4. COMPONENTS OF EUTHANASIA
 The two ethical components are :Aim &
Autonomy
 One of the fundamental aims of medical care is
beneficence, where killing a patient can hardly be
constructed as doing no harm.
 On other hand relief of suffering and pain is the aim of
care and relieving pain by putting an end to patient’s
misery could be considered beneficent.

5. COMPONENTS OF EUTHANASIA
 The second component –Autonomy
 Affects doctors, patients, relatives.
 Patient has right to refuse treatment: does this
autonomy extend to asking for euthanasia? This
is ethical dilemma.

6. SECTIONS OF IPC WITH EUTHANASIA
 Does a person have the right to end his own life
when he can no longer bear it?
 No, says Section 309 of IPC it is a crime to
commit suicide.
 If man cant end it for himself can one do it for
him? Section 302 it’s a murder.
 Can one assist him to do it ? No again section 304
says it’s abetment to suicide.

7. CLASSIFICATION
 Its voluntary
 Non-voluntary
 Involuntary
 When the patient causes his death in association with
a doctor, it is termed physician-assisted euthanasia.
 Non-voluntary euthanasia is one where consent of
patient is unavailable.
 Involuntary –when euthanasia is conducted against
the will of patient.

8. CLASSIFICATION
 Each is further classified into
 Active
 Passive
 Active euthanasia entails use of lethal
substances or forces to kill ( legal in Belgium,
Netherlands, Luxembourg)
 Passive euthanasia entails withholding of
common medication or life-support systems
necessary for continuation of life.( legal
throughout US)

9.  According to one school: It’s not granting “right to die”
rather it should be called ‘right to kill’. Totally against
medical ethics.
 Should the state sanction deliberate shortening of
natural life of its citizens by one person being licensed
to deliberately bring about death of another?
 Relatives of the patient play an important role, it is
probable that the patient comes under pressure and
takes such a drastic step of ending his life; pressure is
moral and psychological which proves to be much
stronger.
 Country's weak rule of law may lead to the
exploitation of the elderly by their families.
Consequences

10.  Added is economic pressure. The patient starts feeling
him to be a burden on the relatives – finally he also
succumbs to it.
 Frees up medical funds and facilities to help other
people.
 It provides a way to relieve extreme pain.
 A doctor may be waiting for an organ transplant/ or for
a bed to become free/ relative may simply wish to be
relieved of the burden of an ill member of the family.
 Decisions left in the hands of doctors or relatives are
very risky also.
Consequences

11. CONSEQUENCES
 Another argument is of “slippery slope”; is that
voluntary euthanasia would over the years lead
to a slide down the slippery slope and eventually
we would end up permitting even non-voluntary
and voluntary euthanasia.
 Legalized euthanasia would produce huge social
pressures on very vulnerable people to ‘volunteer’
causing much stress and suffering.
 The greater anxiety is that voluntary euthanasia
will imperceptibly change to compulsory
euthanasia for handicapped and elderly.

12. EUTHANASIA IN INDIA
 • Passive Euthanasia is legal in India.
As per the law was passed by the Supreme Court
of India in 2011 as a means to legally withdraw
life support in patients who are in a permanent
vegetative state.
 • Active Euthanasia which includes the
administration of lethal compounds for the
purpose of ending life, is still illegal in India, and
in most countries.

13. REFERENCES
 1. Nath NC. Editorial Euthanasia – has the
judgement settles the issue? JIMA 2011; Vol
109(4)p220-221
 2. Khokhar AK.Legal aspects of hospital
administration. Block 3. DL. NIHFW Editor Das
JK. 72-73.