Euthanasia literally means “good death”. It is basically to bring about the death of a terminally ill patient or a disabled. It is resorted to so that the last days of a patient who has been suffering from such an illness which is terminal in nature or which has disabled him can peacefully end up his life and which can also prove to be less painful for him.

On the other hand voluntary euthanasia means where a patient who is suffering a lot asks a medical practitioner to end his life whereas involuntary euthanasia is just the opposite of voluntary euthanasia that is where there is no consent of the patient but for it there can be many reasons such as if he is not mentally competent to give his consent and other such reasons.

the issue of euthanasia has no easy answers and has always had its share of controversy whenever its come up here or abroad, ridden as it is by ethical and religious concerns.

One such instance was that of 25-year-old Venkatesh who petitioned the Andhra Pradesh high court in 2004 seeking euthanasia while on life-support in a Hyderabad hospital, his body wracked by a debilitating muscular disorder.

On June 14 2005 , the newspaper headlines sprang the news that the central Government in India was mulling over the idea of legalising euthanasia

That can be done by a drug overdose, a lethal injection, or the withdrawal of medical support.

If the medical board feels that the person is valuable, if the medical board feels that the person is of immense importance, then he can be asked to live a little longer.

Euthanasia is self-imposed killing; it is a mercy killing, when there is not a slightest chance of endurance

Passive euthanasia, where an incurable patient is taken off the respirator with the consent of his relatives, for another patient who needs the respirator system, is also not uncommon.

Generally people who want to commit euthanasia are under a lot of stress.

The difference is, in euthanasia, the person who is dying performs the last act while in assisted death another person performs the act. For example a physician can help in the process by giving lethal medications through the oral or intravenous routes. If the physician himself administers it then it is physician-assisted suicide, but, if he sets up the injection apparatus and the person who wants to die presses the button then it translates into euthanasia.

A painful disease is one in which the patient suffers unbearable and excruciating pain. A chronic disease is a long lasting one and an incurable disease is one whose cure has not been found till date.

active and passive

the elimination of the old, weak, and disabled.