DR.SANGEETA CHOWDHRY AND DR. SUNIL SHARMA, DEPARTMENT OF FORENSIC MEDICINE AND TOXICOLOGY, GOVT. MEDICAL COLLEGE JAMMU (J&K)

1. EUTHANASIA
A POWER POINT PRESENTAION BY DEPARTMENT OF FORENSIC
DR. SANGEETA CHOWDHRYY & MEDICINE & TOXICOLGY, GMC,
DR.SUNIL SHARMA JAMMU

2. EUTHANASIA
The term Euthanasia
originated from the Greek
word for "good death." It
is defined as intentional
killing by act or omission, of a
dependent human being for
his or her alleged benefit. It
literally means mercy killing
or putting a person to
painless death especially in
case of incurable suffering or
when life becomes
purposeless as a result of
mental or physical handicap.

3. EUTHANASIA-TYPES
Passive Euthanasia: To end a person life by
not taking the necessary and ordinary
action to maintain life. This can be done
by withdrawing water, food, drugs,
medical or surgical procedures. There are
some medical actions which are often
described as passive euthanasia. These
Active Euthanasia: When acts include not commencing treatment
the death is intentionally which would have not provided relief to
the patient, or withdrawing treatment that
caused. To end a person's has been found to be ineffective, too
life by use of drugs, burdensome, unwanted, or prescribing
high doses of pain killers that can
whether by oneself or with endanger life of the patient.
the aid of a physician Such actions are part of standard medical
practice. Since in these actions, there is no
intention to kill the person, some workers
do not consider it as euthanasia. Thus,
euthanasia is not there till there is
intention to kill.

4. EUTHANASIA-TYPES
Voluntary Euthanasia - Physician-Assisted Suicide -
When a competent person Suicide accomplished with
makes a voluntary and the aid of a medical
enduring request to be doctor intentionally
helped to die. providing a person with an
Involuntary Euthanasia - overdose of prescription
To end a person's life medication.
without their knowledge or Assisted Suicide - Suicide
consent accomplished with the aid
of another person.

5. EUTHANASIA
The question of euthanasia
arises on three occasions
i.e. (1) at the beginning of
life—at birth
(2) at the end of life –
terminal stage
(3) when a person is
severely impaired as a
result of brain damage –
unforeseen mishap.

6. OBJECTIVES OF LIFE
The main purpose of life is
to be happy, to make
others happy if possible, to
grow old gracefully and die
with dignity. The main
duty of the doctor is to
relieve pain and suffering
even if the measures he
takes may incidentally
shorten life.

7. AT BIRTH
The problem arise in the case of a
physically or mentally handicap
infant. Since the infant is not able to
make his own decisions; the matters
rests with the parents or doctors,
aided or confused by the law of land.
The decision should be based on the
quality of life the child can expect
and its consequent impact on the
parents, society, and the resources of
the State. The blessings of early
painless death can be balanced
against the purposeless life, the
probable suffering of the child, and
its consequent impacts. In addition,
the care of the child after death of
parents also needs consideration.

8. TERMINAL STAGE
The conscious dying patient
can make his own decision.
The refusal to consent to any
treatment whatsoever always
rests with the patient. There
is no moral obligation on the
doctor to preserve life at any
cost and if, in the course of
good terminal care, the use of
drugs actually hastens death
it would not amount to crime
or malpractice because the
ensuring death would be the
result of natural causes.

9. UNFORESEEN MISHAP
If a person is severely impaired as a result of
brain damage; it is now possible to sustain
life, but in a state of animation, by artificial
means. The brain death can be as o
consequence of violence, poisioning or
natural causes. In all these cases, the brain
suffers from hypoxic damage from which it
cannot recover, irrespective of treatment
given. When medical treatment has nothing
to offer to the ailing patient, the patient can
be allowed to die in comfort and with dignity.
In all such case one wonders whether the
treatment given is prolonging death or life. In
such cases for practical purposes, the patient
is dead and the decision to continue or
terminate artificial means of support to life
should depend upon the subsequent use of
the body for transplant purposes, if possible.
Such a step would also save the resources of
the State for more rational uses.

10. REASONS OF EUTHANASIA
Unbearable Pain: It is
a major argument in favour
of euthanasia. In terminal
cases of cancer, an
individual may suffer from
unbearable pain even with
the use of pain killers. But
with the use of new drugs
and treatment, much of
pain can be significantly
reduced.

11. REASONS OF EUTHANASIA
Right to Commit
Suicide: Most workers
who support the doctrine
of euthanasia believe that
every person should have
the right to commit
suicide. But, if logically
thought about, in this case
there is no right of suicide
as the act is done by
another person and thus
amounts to murder.

12. REASONS OF EUTHANASIA
Should a Person be
forced to Stay Alive?
An argument forwarded that
whether vegetative life
should be allowed to be kept
on perpetual basis even
against the wishes of the
patient. It is cruel and
inhumane. But now law is
clear in such cases. Law does
not ask doctors to keep
death away forever in these
cases.

13. REASONS AGAINST EUTHANASIA
The following reasons are
cited against euthanasia’s:
Definition of “Terminally
Ill” is Not Conclusive: The
term “terminally ill” is
subjective and there can be
gross misuse in selection
of patients. It is also found
that some terminally ill
patients live for years or
months together.

14. REASONS AGAINST EUTHANASIA
Misuse by Hospitals to
Reduce Healthcare Cost:
Some hospitals may have
patients, on whom they
have to spend a lot of
money as they may be
admitted in intensive care
units for years, may be
declared as terminally ill
and may be considered for
euthanasia.

15. REASONS AGAINST EUTHANASIA
Importance and Value of
Life would be reduced in
the Eyes of People.

16. EUTHANASIA AND ASSISTED
SUICIDE
Nowadays, concept of assisted suicide
has also developed. The difference
between euthanasia and assisted
suicide lies in who performs the last act
to cause death. In euthanasia, it is other
person who performs the last act which
causes death. For example, when a
doctor gives a lethal injection, it is
called euthanasia. But in assisted
suicide, it is the person who himself
performs the last act which causes
death. For example, patient himself
injects or drinks the poison provided by
the doctor for causing death. It is also
called as physician assisted suicide.

17. MEDICO-LEGAL SIGNIFICANCE
Euthanasia in any form is not allowed in
India. It is a punishable offence under PUNISHABLE
Indian Penal Code and person who does
it may be prosecuted under the sections OFFENCE
of murder, assisting suicide, etc. UNDER INDIAN
In some countries, however, it is legal. PENAL CODE
Netherlands, Belgium, Oregon in the
United States, Norway, Sweden,
Finland, Luxembourg, Albania,
Holland, Switzerland and Thailand are
the only places in the world where laws
permit euthanasia or assisted suicide.
Some countries like Australia
introduced it for some time but seeing
its misuse, it was later repealed.
Worldwide opinion is that it should not
be made legal as it can be grossly
abused.