Interestingly, euthanasia is divided into three designations: (a) voluntary, by informed consent, (b) non-voluntary, as for a child or a person in a coma, and (c) involuntary.  The best definition for euthanasia might be “a death which results from the intention of one person to kill another person, using the most gentle and painless means possible, that is solely motivated by the best interests of the person who dies.” 

Euthanasia is further divided as passive or active in nature.  Passive euthanasia entails withholding any treatment to prolong life.  Active euthanasia involves administering a toxic substance to cause death.

Voluntary euthanasia involves the proposition that people have the “Right to Die.”  However, when the patient brings about his or her own death with the assistance of a physician, the term “assisted suicide” is often used.  We discuss this topic in a different tab.

Involuntary “euthanasia” resulting in death without consent is uniformly designated as murder.  

Non-voluntary euthanasia of persons unable to give consent (“incompetent” individuals) but whose life is dependent on mechanical support has resulted in legal battles reaching the Supreme Court, eventually allowing in 1975 the removal of life-prolonging support when there was no possibility of the patient recovering.   However, “competent” persons could be allowed to make the decision by themselves to withhold medical treatment.

Additional issues remained, and in 1990 the Supreme Court ruled that the states could require reasonable proof that an “incompetent” patient wanted life support to be withdrawn before a third party could authorize the action.

Congress promptly passed a law already under consideration called the Patient Self-Determination Act that has lead to the Advanced Healthcare Directives by which people can now decide in advance if they want life-prolonging therapy withheld if there is no chance for their recovery.

Assisted suicide can be defined as “an intervention to terminate life on request.”  As noted, this is technically known as active voluntary euthanasia.  This practice is legal in some of the United States and in some foreign countries, often with specific conditions noted.