Euthanasia Definitions
INTERNATIONAL TASK FORCE ON EUTHANASIA AND
ASSISTED SUICIDE
Euthanasia:
the
intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being
for his or her alleged benefit.
Voluntary euthanasia: When the
person who is killed gives consent to be killed. (There are problems
with determining what is really voluntary)
Involuntary euthanasia:
When
the person who is killed is incapable of giving consent or does not
give consent.
Assisted suicide: Someone provides
an individual with the information, guidance, and means to take his
or her own life. When a doctor helps another person to kill
themselves it is called "physician assisted suicide."
Active euthanasia: one person
deliberately kills another person.
Passive euthanasia:
There
are two totally different definitions:
a. Removal of life-sustaining medical treatment from a person at
their request. Under this definition, the death of the person is not
wanted but pain-relief or suffering-relief actions are taken that
indirectly likely cause the death of the person. (We at
euthanasia.com DO NOT consider this euthanasia)
b. Intentionally causing death by withholding or withdrawing
necessary and ordinary (usual and customary) care or food and water.
(We DO consider this euthanasia)
Some people confuse the issue by using both meanings of passive
euthanasia when in reality they are totally different. Some bring up the
case of a person who doesn't want to be forced to remain alive by being
hooked up to medical equipment. However, the law already permits a
patient or their surrogates to choose to stop such treatments.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide.
"Euthanasia Definitions." Euthanasia.com. 2002.
http://www.euthanasia.com.
Euthanasia.com provides information for research on euthanasia,
physician-assisted suicide, living wills, and mercy killing.
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