Reforming passive euthanasia in India, Pg7

Key Highlights:

• The U.K.’s House of Commons passed the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in June, allowing physician-assisted dying for terminally ill adults.
• India recognizes passive euthanasia through Supreme Court judgments but prohibits active euthanasia.
• Current passive euthanasia implementation in India is slow due to requirements like advance directives and dual medical board clearance.
• The article suggests refining India's passive euthanasia protocol using digital tools and streamlined procedures.

Detailed Insights:

• Passive euthanasia involves withdrawing life-sustaining treatment, allowing death to occur naturally, while active euthanasia involves directly causing death.
• India's healthcare system's fragmentation and societal factors complicate end-of-life choices, making the U.K. model less directly applicable.
• Article 21 of the Constitution guarantees the right to life, interpreted to include the right to die with dignity, but not the right to be killed.
• Proposed reforms include a national digital portal for registering advance directives linked with Aadhaar for verification.
• Hospital ethics committees should be empowered to authorize withdrawal of life support within 48 hours, with exceptional cases flagged for scrutiny.
• A transparent, decentralised review mechanism within hospital networks, monitored through digital dashboards, may be more suitable than a State-level ombudsman.
• Mandatory safeguards should include a seven-day cooling-off period, psychological counselling, and palliative care review.
• Medical education must integrate training on end-of-life care, and public awareness campaigns are essential to promote advance care planning.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Passive Euthanasia: Withdrawing life-sustaining treatment to allow natural death.
• Active Euthanasia: Directly causing death through intervention.
• Advance Directive: A legal document specifying a person's wishes for healthcare if they become incapacitated.