The Union Health Ministry has issued preliminary guidelines on passive euthanasia, titled 'Draft Guidelines for Withdrawal of Life Support in Terminally Ill Patients.' Stakeholders are encouraged to provide feedback and suggestions on the draft by October 20. The guidelines define terminal illness as an irreversible or incurable condition leading to inevitable death in the near future. The criteria include considerations such as brainstem death, medical prognosis, documented refusal of life support by the patient or their surrogate, and compliance with Supreme Court procedures. The Indian Medical Association's national President, Dr. R V Asokan, expressed that such decisions have traditionally been made in good faith by doctors in consultation with the patient's relatives. Passive euthanasia involves the intentional cessation or withholding of medical treatments, allowing a person to pass away naturally from their underlying condition, such as discontinuing ventilators, feeding tubes, or medications. This approach differs from active euthanasia, which involves direct actions to cause death. Dr. Asokan emphasized the importance of leaving such decisions to the discretion of patients, relatives, and medical professionals based on scientific and individual circumstances.The practice of passive euthanasia is often considered for individuals with terminal illnesses, minimal chances of recovery, or in a persistent vegetative state. Decisions regarding passive euthanasia are typically based on the patient's desires, advance directives, or made by family members and healthcare proxies if the patient is unable to communicate. While this raises ethical dilemmas, passive euthanasia is lawful in many countries under specific guidelines and circumstances.

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Euthanasia is permitted in various countries including the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, and Switzerland where assisted suicide is also allowed. In Canada, both euthanasia and assisted suicide are permitted, while certain U.S. states like Oregon, Washington, and California allow assisted suicide with strict regulations. Colombia has also legalized euthanasia. Each location has established criteria, such as terminal illness or unbearable suffering, that must be met for euthanasia or assisted suicide to be conducted legally.