INFORMATION ABOUT EUTHANASIA

Euthanasia

¨  Euthanasia: the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit. (The key word here is "intentional". If death is not intended, it is not an act of euthanasia)

¨  Voluntary euthanasia: When the person who is killed has requested to be killed.

¨  Non-voluntary: When the person who is killed made no request and gave no consent.

¨  Involuntary euthanasia: When the person who is killed made an expressed wish to the contrary.

¨  Assisted suicide: Someone provides an individual with the information, guidance, and means to take his or her own life with the intention that they will be used for this purpose. When it is a doctor who helps another person to kill themselves it is called "physician assisted suicide."

¨  Euthanasia By Action: Intentionally causing a person's death by performing an action such as by giving a lethal injection. The general understanding is that voluntary euthanasia occurs when a person who is fully capable of making the decision to end their life requests assistance by a doctor or other individual to do so. This is also sometimes referred to as assisted suicide or physician-assisted suicide.

¨  Euthanasia By Omission: Intentionally causing death by not providing necessary and ordinary (usual and customary) care or food and water.

¨  Euthansia Definition: The general understanding is that voluntary euthanasia occurs when a person who is fully capable of making the decision to end their life requests assistance by a doctor or other individual to do so. This is also sometimes referred to as assisted suicide or physician-assisted suicide.

¨  Euthanasia and suicide: While the evidence is limited, there is some research showing links between the portrayal of explicit methods of euthanasia and associated deaths among people who are not aged or terminally ill. This may be as a result of vulnerable people being exposed to explicit methods of suicide, the depiction of euthanasia as “acceptable suicide”, or positive framing or promotion of suicide as a right.

¨  Euthanasia and mental illness:Euthanasia is often portrayed an act of compassion for those who are terminally ill or suffering from severe physical illness or infirmity. However, a body of research has explored the possible link between a person’s desire for euthanasia and mental ill health, such as the existence of treatable depression.