Euthanasia

Euthanasia is the deliberate killing of a terminally ill person in order to alleviate his suffering.

In voluntary euthanasia, the patient himself makes the decision to be helped to die. This can be achieved through active measures (usually by prescribing special drugs) or through passive euthanasia - the deliberate refusal of treatment.

In compulsory euthanasia, society or a person, using his own authority to influence another person, orders him to end the life of, for example, an infant who cannot clearly express his wishes.

There is no country in which compulsory euthanasia is legal, but many societies encourage voluntary euthanasia.

Euthanasia

Euthanasia is the intentional termination of the life of a terminally ill person in order to relieve him of suffering.

There are several types of euthanasia:

1. Voluntary euthanasia is when the decision to end life is made by the patient himself. This can be done actively (for example, by administering drugs) or passively (without treatment).

2. Forced euthanasia is when the decision to end a patient’s life is made by someone else against his will. This type of euthanasia is prohibited in most countries.

3. Euthanasia of newborns is the termination of the life of infants with severe developmental defects. It is also illegal in almost all countries.

Voluntary euthanasia is currently legal in several countries, including the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Canada. In many other countries it is in a legal gray area or banned. Discussions about the legalization of euthanasia have been going on for decades and remain one of the controversial ethical issues in modern society.