The Union Health Ministry has issued draft guidelines on passive euthanasia titled 'Draft Guidelines for Withdrawal of Life Support in Terminally Ill Patients.' The guidelines define terminal illness as an irreversible or incurable condition in which death is unavoidable in the foreseeable future. Stakeholders have been invited to provide feedback and suggestions on the draft by October 20. The guidelines are based on four conditions: declaration of brainstem death, medical prognosis indicating the ineffectiveness of aggressive treatments, documented informed refusal by the patient or surrogate, and adherence to the procedures set by the Supreme Court.

In reaction to the draft guidelines, Dr. R V Asokan, the national President of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), emphasized that such clinical decisions have always been made in good faith by doctors. He stressed that decisions regarding life support are made on a case-by-case basis, involving patient relatives and based on the merit of each situation. Dr. Asokan believes that decisions related to passive euthanasia should be left to the discretion of patients, their families, and healthcare providers, guided by scientific evidence and individual circumstances.

Passive euthanasia involves deliberately withholding or discontinuing medical treatments or life-sustaining interventions, allowing a person to pass away naturally due to their underlying condition. This may include discontinuing interventions such as ventilators, feeding tubes, or medications that sustain the patient's life. Unlike active euthanasia, which involves taking direct actions to bring about death, passive euthanasia allows death to occur by refraining from interfering with the natural progression of the illness.The termination of an illness. Passive euthanasia is often considered in cases where the patient is suffering from a terminal illness, has little to no chance of recovery, or is in a persistent vegetative state. Decisions regarding passive euthanasia are typically based on the patient's wishes, advance directives, or directives from family members and healthcare proxies in cases where the patient is unable to make decisions for themselves. While this practice raises ethical concerns, it is legal in various countries, subject to specific guidelines and conditions. The impact of stress on skin and hair is also discussed.Euthanasia laws worldwideEuthanasia is legally permitted in various countries. Some of these countries include the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, and Switzerland, where assisted suicide is allowed. Canada permits both euthanasia and assisted suicide, and certain U.S. states, such as Oregon, Washington, and California, allow assisted suicide under strict regulations. Colombia has also legalized euthanasia. Each jurisdiction has its own set of criteria, such as terminal illness or unbearable suffering, that must be met for euthanasia or assisted suicide to be conducted legally. (Source: PTI)