Euthanasia

Euthanasia is action taken by a person other than the patient, at the request of that patient  with the deliberate purpose of ending that patient’s life. (State commission on Euthanasia, 1985). Euthanasia is deemed to have taken place if the doctor states that:

• the patient’s death is the result of the use of treatment prescribed or applied by him or her, or by a colleague, with the deliberate intention of hastening the patient’s death, and
• it is also stated that the patient did not apply or take the treatment entirely on his or her own, and
• this decision was taken at the express request of the patient.