​Beginning and end, Pg6

Key Highlights:

• The Supreme Court approved the withdrawal of life support for Harish Rana, who was in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) for over 12 years.
• The Court invoked the constitutional idea of dignity and expanded the right to live with dignity under Article 21 to include the right to die with dignity.
• This decision allows terminally ill patients and their families to opt for withdrawal of life support.
• The Court also endorsed the concept of a living will, empowering individuals to state their preferences for medical treatment when incapacitated.

Detailed Insights:

• The Supreme Court observed that keeping a terminally ill patient alive through technological advancements, when they are brain dead or in a PVS, forces a life of indignity and a slow, agonizing death.
• In the absence of specific legislation on euthanasia, Indian courts have consistently addressed the issue, starting with the Smt. Gian Kaur vs The State Of Punjab (1996) case and the Aruna Shanbaug petition in 2011.
• The 2018 Supreme Court Constitution Bench affirmed that the right to die with dignity is a fundamental right, further solidifying the legal basis for passive euthanasia.
• The judgment aims to introduce compassion into end-of-life care for patients with unalterable medical conditions, while also acknowledging the ethical dilemmas posed by advancing medical technology.
• A living will is a legal document empowering individuals to state their preferences for medical treatment in situations where they become incapacitated, vegetative, or are unable to communicate.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Euthanasia: The practice of intentionally ending a life to relieve pain and suffering.
• Persistent Vegetative State (PVS): A state of severely altered consciousness in which a person is alive but unable to think or feel.
• Article 21: A fundamental right in the Indian Constitution that guarantees the protection of life and personal liberty.
• Living Will: A legal document that allows individuals to specify their wishes regarding medical treatment in the event they become unable to communicate their decisions.