Introduction
Euthanasia[1] has been derived from the Greek words, Eu meaning well and Thanatos meaning death, translating to well death. It refers to the process of putting someone painlessly to death, so that they don’t have to continue suffering due to their current medical condition. The medical condition can include some disability, or a prolonged illness which does not have a cure, and the person has to suffer until the pain of the disease kills them. The idea behind the practice of Euthanasia is to provide a quick and painless death to someone so that the person will not have to succumb to the pain of their illness and die in a slow, agonizing manner. Euthanasia has been further classified into two types, Active and Passive. Active euthanasia is when the doctor directly does something that ends the life of the patient, usually by injecting the patient with a lethal drug. This is also often known as, aggressive euthanasia. Passive euthanasia on the other hand is when the doctor does not directly end the life of the patient, but rather, removes the life support, and intentionally lets the patient die. This life support could either be a feeding tube or a ventilator, which were installed to keep the patient alive and breathing. These classifications are further divided into Voluntary and Involuntary euthanasia. Voluntary euthanasia is when the patient voluntarily, by their own choice requests the doctor to end their life. Involuntary euthanasia is when the patient is in such a state of pain and suffering that they cannot give consent, and therefore, the doctor decides to end their life, even if the patient has not requested it. This is also known as Mercy killing[2], as the doctor, takes sympathy on the condition of the patient, and to relieve the patient of their suffering, ends their life. Samuel Williams[3], in the 1870s, was the first person to put forward the idea of Euthanasia, through which he suggested using anaesthetics and morphine to intentionally end the life of a patient. Since then the debate over the moral principles behind Euthanasia has continued, and the legality of such a practice has been debated over the years.
One side argues that it goes against the right to life of an individual and that it reduces the sanctity of human life. This side is against the practice of Euthanasia and believes that it should not be legalised as it is immoral in nature. It stresses upon the loopholes in the provisions of euthanasia and how there are no specified guidelines that would regulate it. The main aim of the medical profession is to heal and save lives, however, this practice makes doctors go against their morals by killing their own patients. People against the practice also argue that the practice highlights the importance of some lives over others, and how some people should be saved while others killed. They believe that if killing a person is accepted as the solution to every terminal illness, then the search for new cures and antidotes will never progress, and eventually the treatment of the terminally ill will be stopped.
On the other hand, the advocates of Euthanasia believe that it is an act of humanity, that helps relieve those suffering from terminal illnesses and diseases. This side argues that a patient has the right over their life and therefore, if they feel that they want to end it as they know that their illness cannot be cured, then their wishes should be respected and the patient should be euthanised. Euthanasia does not kill a person before their time, it just prevents a long painful death. Supporters of euthanasia believe, that the quality of life of a person suffering from an incurable disease eventually becomes so low, that the only option available is death because healing is not possible.
The idea of Euthanasia became highlighted in India, through the Aruna Shanbaug case. Currently, India does not have any specific laws that legalise euthanasia and lay down the procedure for the same, however, we use this case as a landmark precedent to understand the practice. It was through this case that the Supreme Court declared passive euthanasia to be legalised, and recognised the right to die with dignity, as a fundamental right[4] under Article 21[5] of the Indian constitution. However, the practice of Active euthanasia is still prohibited and is punishable as a crime by the law.
[1]Euthanasia- the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma.
[2]Mercy Killing- Intentionally ending a person’s life in a painless manner because the condition they are suffering from is incurable
[3]Samuel Williams- In 1870, Samuel Williams first proposed using anesthetics and morphine to intentionally end a patient’s life.
[4]Fundamental Rights have been stated in part III of the Indian constitution and are the basic freedoms and entitlements that are guaranteed to citizens by a country’s constitution. They are considered fundamental because they are essential for the development of individuals, their dignity, and their well-being
[5]Article 21 of the Indian Constitution- protects the fundamental right to life and personal liberty. It states that no person can be deprived of their life or personal liberty except according to a procedure established by law. This means that a person’s life and personal liberty can only be disputed if they have committed a crime.