DAY 1

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DAY 3
DAY 40
DAY 180
EUTHANASIA
EUTHANASIA????

ØMeaning : Euthanasia .

From Greek word

ØEu = good, nice, merciful and facilitated
Tathanos = death or killing

ØLinguistically Meaning = ‘merciful’ death or

killing or ‘good’ or facilitated death
Contd…

ØModern science = practice of ending

life in a painless manner.

ØMaking the last days of the person

as comfortable as possible

ØAlso known as “Mercy Killing”

Difference between Murder,
suicide & mercy killing
Murder
ØThe unlawful killing of another human being with
intention

ØThe act of terminating another's life

ØIntentional Murder
Ø
ØPut an end to one’s life

Ø
 Suicide
ØA course of action which is extremely
damaging to one’s own interests.
Ø
ØAct or instance of intentionally killing
oneself.
Ø
ØMostly it is due to depression.
Ø
Ø
ØVarious reasons, such as, frustration in
love, failure in examinations or in getting a
good job.
Mercy killing/ Euthanasia

Where the death of a terminally ill

person is brought about by another
person, who believes that such
person’s existence is so bad that he/she
would be better of dead

Calm and peaceful death

 Types Of Euthanasia

Active Euthanasia

Passive Euthanasia
 Typ e s O f E u th a n a sia
Voluntary Euthanasia

Involuntary Euthanasia

Assisted Suicide
Religious beliefs regarding Euthanasia
Euthanasia & Hinduism

•Views on Euthanasia are based on:

•
•Karma

•Ahimsa

•Moksha

•
•
•
Euthanasia & Christianity
Christians are oppose on the grounds that it invades gods territory
of life and death
Euthanasia & Islam
Forbids all forms of Euthanasia

It is believed or prophet doesn’t bless the body of person who

embraced Euthanasia
Euthanasia & Jainism
Allows follower of Jainism to put an end to his life
Euthanasia & Shinto

Majority of religious organisation agree with the act of voluntary

passive Euthanasia
Movements for Euthanasia
Pioneer of the Movement
 Adolf Hitler
•
• Nazi Physicians
•
• Killing “life unworthy of life”
 Derek Humphrey
 He is widely acknowledged to be the initiator of the euthanasia

reform movement in the United States.

 Humphrey ranks as one of the preeminent pioneers of the

American euthanasia movement.

 His work is mainly in 60’s.
 Dr. Jack Kevorkian
 Born on May 26, 1928 is an American pathologist and right-to-die

activist.
 He is most noted for publicly championing a terminal patient's

right to die via physician-assisted suicide.

 He claims to have assisted at least 130 patients to that end.

 He famously said that "dying is not a crime”.


 Acts
Legal
or
Illeg
al

A
 Euthanasia Legalized
vNetherlands was the first country to make it legal in 2005.
v1990 government survey- 28% euthanasia deaths
vAustralia- Tasmania Parliament Bill (2009)
vCanada- Bill C-407 (Vancouver Church)
vBelgium- Euthanasia rates escalating (1/day), legalized in 2008
vColumbia- Highest Court Sanction, after hearing a report of Southern
Cross Bioethics Institute with Sentence C-239/97
vLuxemburg- Legalized in 2009 start.
vSwitzerland- Legalized Assisted suicide
Source- www.euthanasia.com/netherland/survey results
 Rules led by respective
Government
 the patients suffering is unbearable with no prospect of
improvement
 the patients request for euthanasia must be voluntary and persist
over time
 there must be consultation with at least one other independent
doctor who needs to confirm the conditions mentioned above
 the death must be carried out in a medically appropriate fashion by
the doctor or patient, in which case the doctor must be present
 the patient should be at least 12 years old
 Euthanasia Bill In Discussion
 Czech Republic- Bill was dropped from new draft penal code in

2007.
 France- As practice of Euthanasia is spreading across Europe the

hearing trials have began there.

 Mexico- Bill passing is in progress.
 Euthanasia Opposition
 Great Britain- Majority of U.K doctors, parliament have opposed

it.
 Hungary- Rejected Euthanasia Plea.

 Italy- In spite of having famous “Terri Schiavo” case, the

government have not yet legalized it.

 Same with the Ireland, Israel
Emphasis
on
India
 Acts in India
 In India, euthanasia is undoubtedly illegal.
 Since in cases of euthanasia there is an intention on the part of the doctor
to kill the patient, such cases would clearly fall under clause first of
Section 300 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
 Section 309 of IPC
 Article 21 of the Constitution- right to life is guaranteed, does not
include the right to die.
 It is a provision guaranteeing protection of life and personal liberty and
by no stretch of the imagination can extinction of life be read into it.



 ASPECTS
• T E R M IN A LLY ILL
Medical
• advancements Non Recovering
Stage
• H E A LT H C A R E C O S T
• Life can’t be Waste of money
valued
• R E LA T IV E S
•
Misuse Can’t see
pain
OLD AGE
Respect Curing is even more difficult
 RELIGIOUS ASPECT
GOD…………..
• GOD………..
•

• Decides the game of • Wants everyone to

birth and have quality
death(Sanctity of peaceful life
Life) • Does not like anyone
• Cares for dying rather to be suffering
than speeding death • Has given free wish to
• Has a plan-there is do whatever one
reason for suffering wants
•
 OTHER ASPECTS
• AGAINST FOR
•

• Medical research • Organ donation

hindered • Hospice care
• Hippocratic oath • Appeal in Human
• Legal suicides Rights Act
• Snap decisions • Possessions are
materialistic
•
•
•
“•Do everything possible to preserve and
restore life, not to take it”.
•
 Suggested Approach
• patient must be resident in INDIA
• patient must be aged over 18
• there must be at least 60 days between the first and the
last request
• patient must be terminally ill with a life expectancy of less
than 6 months
• this must be confirmed by a second consultant physician
• both doctors must confirm that the patient is capable of
making this decision
• both doctors must confirm that the patient does not have
medical condition that impairs their judgement
• patient must self-administer the lethal medication
•
 Suggested Approach
• must be convinced that the patient has made a voluntary
and well-considered request to die
• must be convinced that the patient is facing interminable
and unendurable suffering
• has informed the patient about his situation and his
prospects
• together with the patient, must be convinced that there is
no other reasonable solution
• has consulted at least one other independent doctor who
has seen the patient
• and given his written assessment of the due care
requirements as referred to in the points above
• has helped the patient to die with due medical care
•
1 . M e rcy - k illin g  h a rm s  th e v ictim .
M e rcifu l d e a th  b e n e fits  th e p a tie n t.

2 .  M e rcy - k illin g  is n o t b a se d o n re a so n .

M e rcifu l d e a th  is b a se d o n re a so n .

3 .  M e rcy - k illin g  is o fte n  ca p ricio u s.

M e rcifu l d e a th  is w e ll- p la n n e d .

4 .  M e rcy - k illin g  is re g re tta b le a n d

la m e n ta b le .
M e rcifu l d e a th  is a d m ira b le a n d
la u d a b le .
 Two Models

• A utilitarian model, which  A Kantian model, emphasizing

emphasizes consequences autonomy, rights, and respect
• 
• 

John Stuart Mill Kent

 Kantian model

It was developed by Kent in 50’s.

Central insight: people cannot be treated like mere things.
 Key notions:

Autonomy & Dignity (Personal Independence)

Respect
Rights

 Utilitarian model

 It was proposed by John Stuart Mill in 19th century

 Morality is a matter of consequences

 We must count the consequences for everyone

 Everyone’s suffering counts equally

 We must always act in a way that produces the greatest overall

good consequences and least overall bad consequences

• O p in io n s o n E u th a n a sia
•
•Dr. Charles Dougherty (President of Duquesne University)
- “Legalizing euthanasia would harm society”

•William Carr
- “people will want the comfort of knowing that if they choose,
a physician will be ready, willing, and able to help them…by
offering a death with dignity”
Contd…
•Dr. Timothy Quill
- “important goals are not about assisted suicide but about good
care for dying people

•Dr. Arthur Caplan

- “assisted suicide is going to become and attractive solution”
CASES :-

Case1 :Neena bonarji

Case2 : Kate cheney

Mahatma Gandhi
-“A calf, having been maimed, lay in agony in the ashram and despite all possible treatment and
nursing, the surgeon declared the case to be past help and hope. The animal's suffering was very
acute.

In the circumstances, I felt that humanity demanded that the agony should be ended by ending
life itself. The matter was placed before the whole ashram. Finally, in all humility but with the
cleanest of convictions I got in my presence a doctor to administer the calf a quietus by means of
a poison injection, and the whole thing was over in less than two minutes.

"Would I apply to human beings the principle that I have enunciated in connection with the calf?
Would I like it to be applied in my own case? My reply is yes. Just as a surgeon does not commit
ahimsa when he wields his knife on his patient's body for the latter's benefit, similarly one may
find it necessary under certain imperative circumstances to go a step further and sever life from
the body in the interest of the sufferer".

Source: Gujarati weekly Navjivan in October 1928.

Conclusion..