Discuss the Development of the Law as to When, Under

question 34

Essay

Discuss the development of the law as to when, under what circumstances, and by whom discontinuance of medical treatments may be ordered for terminally ill patients.

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Definitions:

Voluntary Euthanasia

Euthanasia performed in accordance with the wishes of a competently expressed, well-informed patient.

Involuntary Euthanasia

The act of ending a person's life without their explicit consent, often due to the individual's inability to make such a decision themselves.

Passive Euthanasia

The withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatments or interventions, allowing a person to die naturally without the active use of measures to cause death.

Assisted Suicide

A practice where a physician or other healthcare provider helps a person end their own life, under strict regulations, often due to terminal illness or severe suffering.