This document discusses euthanasia, defining it as the act of painlessly ending a person's life to relieve suffering from an incurable disease or medical condition. It notes that most legal systems do not have specific provisions for euthanasia and it is usually considered suicide or murder. The document categorizes euthanasia as either active, involving lethal substances, or passive, involving withholding treatment. It also distinguishes between voluntary euthanasia with patient consent and involuntary euthanasia without consent. The document addresses perspectives for and against euthanasia regarding the value of life versus quality of life. It notes debates around legalizing euthanasia and risks to vulnerable groups. The document concludes by out

1. Euthanasia
SIMI AFROZ
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF OPTOMETRY
SCHOOL OF MEDICAL AND ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES
G D GOENKA UNIVERSITY

2. Definition
 euthanasia, also called mercy killing, act or practice of painlessly putting to death persons
suffering from painful and incurable disease or incapacitating physical disorder or allowing them
to die by withholding treatment or withdrawing artificial life-support measures.
 There is no specific provision for it in most legal systems, it is usually regarded as either suicide(if
performed by the patient himself) or murder (if performed by another).
 Physicians may, however, lawfully decide not to prolong life in cases of extreme suffering, and they
may administer drugs to relieve pain even if this shortens the patient’s life.
 In the late 20th century, several European countries had special provisions in their criminal codes
for lenient sentencing and the consideration of extenuating circumstances in prosecutions for
euthanasia.
 Netherlands is said to have taken a lead in allowing certain kinds of euthanasia.

3. Types of euthanasia
Active
•Administration
of poisonous
substances to
cause death.
Passive
•Involves only
the stoppage of
treatment.

4. Euthanasia is categorized
Voluntary
•Voluntary euthanasia is when a
person wills to have their life
ended and is legal in a growing
number of countries.
In-Voluntary
•Non-voluntary euthanasia
occurs when a patient's
consent is unavailable and is
legal in some countries in both
active and passive forms.
• It is done without asking for
consent or against the patient's
will, is illegal in all countries and
is usually considered murder.

5. Addressing patients point of views –
value of life vis a vis quality of life.
 Survival is sole objective of human existence and therefore all clinical
practice must be in compliance with the objective.
 Oppose euthanasia that life is gift of the god and no one except god
himself has the right to take it away.
 When taking birth is not in human hands, the decision as to death should
also not be kept in the human hands.
 It is wrong to shorten the life of patient or to fail to strive the lengthen it.

6.  There is also a fear that legalized euthanasia would pose grater risks th the
people in vulnerable group. These are:
 Infants
 Mentally challenged person
 women.
 Mahatma Gandhi’s view : DEATH IS OUR FRIEND

7. Medical practitioner delemma
 I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such
counsel; and in like manner I will not give a women a pessary to produce
abortion.

8. Euthanasia in india
 Indian legal team has never endorsed legal euthanasia., passive
euthanasia has always found itself in the troubled waters on the issue of
consent.
 Only legal instrument which spokes about the withdrawal of life support
system in India was Indian medical Council Regulation 2002.
 Regulation 6.7 of 2002 declares practicing active euthanasia as unethical
conduct.
 It permits the withdrawal of life support system after the brain death. Two
ways :
 Withdrawal of support system by team of doctors.
 Under the provision of the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissue Act 1994

9. Crucial aspects of the norms laid down on the
passive euthanasia in India
 Decision to discontinue life support has to be taken bon fide.
 Decision of withdrawal life support should be approved by high court.
 The concerned high court would excersis its power under Art, 226 of Indian
constitution.

10. “
”
THANK YOU