Assisted death

Assisted death, also known as euthanasia or physician-assisted dying, refers to the practice where a physician provides a patient with the means to end their own life, often through a lethal dose of a drug. This procedure is highly controversial, subject to complex ethical debates and regulated differently across various jurisdictions.

Google searches for assisted suicide, death, or dying

Introduction[edit | edit source]

Assisted death encompasses a range of medical procedures intended to end the life of a patient in order to relieve intractable suffering, typically in the context of terminal illness. The concept raises profound ethical and legal questions about the sanctity of life, patient autonomy, and the role of physicians.^[1]

Types of Assisted Death[edit | edit source]

There are two primary types of assisted death:
Euthanasia: This involves a physician actively administering medication to cause the patient's death. This can further be classified into voluntary (with patient's consent), non-voluntary (without patient's consent, typically because the patient is unable to provide it), and involuntary euthanasia (against the patient's wishes).
Physician-assisted suicide (PAS): The patient self-administers the lethal medication which has been prescribed by a physician.^[2]

Ethical Considerations[edit | edit source]

Key ethical considerations in assisted death revolve around the respect for autonomy (patients should be able to control the timing and manner of their death), beneficence and non-maleficence (physicians are obligated to relieve suffering and not cause harm), and the sanctity of life (life should be preserved and protected).^[3]

Legal Aspects[edit | edit source]

Legislation around assisted death varies greatly worldwide. In some countries, like the Netherlands, Belgium, and Colombia, both euthanasia and PAS are legal under specific circumstances. In others, such as the U.S., only certain states permit PAS. In many places, including most U.S. states and many countries, both practices remain illegal.^[4]

References[edit | edit source]

↑ Emanuel, E. J., Onwuteaka-Philipsen, B. D., Urwin, J. W., & Cohen, J. (2016). Attitudes and practices of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in the United States, Canada, and Europe. JAMA, 316(1), 79-90.
↑ Quill, T. E., & Greenlaw, J. (2008). Physician-assisted death. In From Birth to Death and Bench to Clinic: The Hastings Center Bioethics Briefing Book, 137-142.
↑ Pellegrino, E. D. (2005). Decisions at the end of life: the use and abuse of the concept of futility. In Clinics in geriatric medicine, 21(1), 223-238.
↑ Steck, N., Egger, M., Maessen, M., Reisch, T., & Zwahlen, M. (2013). Euthanasia and assisted suicide in selected European countries and US states: systematic literature review. Medical care, 51(10), 938-944.

Assisted death Resources
Latest articles Most recent articles Ongoing trials	Wikipedia

Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index‏‎ - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes

Search WikiMD

Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD

WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Let Food Be Thy Medicine
Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates

Translate this page: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, தமிழ், తెలుగు, Urdu, ಕನ್ನಡ, Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, বাংলা
European español, Deutsch, français, Greek, português do Brasil, polski, română, русский, Nederlands, norsk, svenska, suomi, Italian
Middle Eastern & African عربى, Turkish, Persian, Hebrew, Afrikaans, isiZulu, Kiswahili,
Other Bulgarian, Hungarian, Czech, Swedish, മലയാളം, मराठी, ਪੰਜਾਬੀ, ગુજરાતી, Portuguese, Ukrainian

Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.

[1] Emanuel, E. J., Onwuteaka-Philipsen, B. D., Urwin, J. W., & Cohen, J. (2016). Attitudes and practices of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in the United States, Canada, and Europe. JAMA, 316(1), 79-90.

[2] Quill, T. E., & Greenlaw, J. (2008). Physician-assisted death. In From Birth to Death and Bench to Clinic: The Hastings Center Bioethics Briefing Book, 137-142.

[3] Pellegrino, E. D. (2005). Decisions at the end of life: the use and abuse of the concept of futility. In Clinics in geriatric medicine, 21(1), 223-238.

[4] Steck, N., Egger, M., Maessen, M., Reisch, T., & Zwahlen, M. (2013). Euthanasia and assisted suicide in selected European countries and US states: systematic literature review. Medical care, 51(10), 938-944.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]