Euthanasia and assisted suicide are distinct practices, though they both involve intentionally ending a person’s life to relieve suffering. Here’s a breakdown of their differences:
Euthanasia
Euthanasia involves a third party, usually a healthcare professional, directly administering a substance or taking action to end the life of a person who has requested it. Regarding of how death is facilitated and the nature of the actions taken, we differentiate between active and passive euthanasia.
Active Euthanasia
- Definition: Active euthanasia involves taking deliberate and direct measures to end a person’s life to relieve suffering.
- Action: A third party, often a healthcare provider, performs an action that intentionally causes death (e.g., administering a lethal injection).
- Intent: The primary goal is to directly bring about death to end suffering.
- Example: A doctor administers a lethal dose of medication to a terminally ill patient at their explicit request.
- Legal Status:
- Legal in a few countries, such as Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, under strict regulations.
- Illegal in many countries, where it is often classified as murder or manslaughter.
Passive Euthanasia
- Definition: Passive euthanasia involves withholding or withdrawing medical treatments that prolong life, allowing the person to die naturally.
- Action: No direct action is taken to cause death; instead, life-sustaining measures (e.g., ventilators, feeding tubes) are stopped or not initiated.
- Intent: The goal is to allow the natural progression of a terminal condition without interference.
- Example: A life-support machine is turned off for a patient in an irreversible coma, in accordance with their prior wishes or a legal directive.
- Legal Status:
- Generally legal in many countries, provided the patient’s consent is clear (e.g., through an advance directive or explicit request).
- Often seen as ethically less controversial than active euthanasia.
Key Differences
| Feature | Active Euthanasia | Passive Euthanasia |
|---|---|---|
| Action | Direct action to cause death | Withholding or stopping treatment |
| Cause of Death | Induced by external action | Natural progression of the illness |
| Legal Status | Legal in few countries | Legal in many countries (under conditions) |
| Ethical Debate | Highly controversial | Less controversial (but still debated) |
Assisted Suicide
- Definition: In assisted suicide, a person is provided with the means (e.g., medication) to end their own life, typically by a healthcare provider, but the person performs the final act themselves.
- Key Feature: The individual seeking to die is the one who carries out the act.
- Example: A doctor prescribes a lethal dose of medication, and the patient self-administers it.
Key Differences
| Feature | Euthanasia | Assisted Suicide |
|---|---|---|
| Who acts? | A third party administers death | The individual carries out the act |
| Level of involvement | Direct | Indirect (support is provided) |