The Union Health Ministry has published draft guidelines concerning passive euthanasia. The document, titled 'Draft Guidelines for Withdrawal of Life Support in Terminally Ill Patients,' has been issued by the Union Health Ministry for review and feedback from stakeholders until October 20. The draft defines terminal illness as a condition that is irreversible or incurable, leading to inevitable death in the near future. The guidelines are based on four main criteria: confirmation of brainstem death, medical prognosis indicating the advanced and non-responsive nature of the illness, documented informed refusal from the patient or their surrogate decision-maker to continue life support, and compliance with procedures outlined by the Supreme Court. Dr. R V Asokan, the national President of IMA, expressed that such clinical decisions have traditionally been made in good faith by doctors, involving thorough communication with patients' families and a case-by-case evaluation. Dr. Asokan emphasized the importance of allowing decisions on end-of-life care to be made based on individual circumstances and medical expertise. Passive euthanasia involves the deliberate choice to withhold or remove medical treatments or life-sustaining measures, thereby allowing natural death to occur from the underlying condition. This may include discontinuing treatments such as ventilators, feeding tubes, or medications that prolong life. Unlike active euthanasia, which entails direct actions to cause death, passive euthanasia permits death to take place by refraining from intervention in the natural progression.The act of passively ending a life due to a terminal illness is known as passive euthanasia. This is often considered in cases where the patient has little chance of recovery or is in a persistent vegetative state. Decisions for passive euthanasia are typically based on the patient's wishes, advance directives, or input from family members and healthcare proxies when the patient cannot make decisions themselves. While this practice raises ethical questions, it is legal in many countries under specific guidelines and conditions.

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Euthanasia is legal in various countries, including the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, and Switzerland, where assisted suicide is also allowed. Canada permits both euthanasia and assisted suicide, while specific U.S. states such as Oregon, Washington, and California allow assisted suicide under strict regulations. Colombia has also legalized euthanasia. Each country or region has established criteria, such as terminal illness or unbearable suffering, that must be met for euthanasia or assisted suicide to be legally performed. (Source: PTI)