Euthanasia (and Medically Assisted Dying)
Latin meaning is ‘a good death’ or ‘to die well’. Direct/intentional action taken to end a patient’s life. Euthanasia is passive when the action is to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining technologies. Euthanasia is voluntary when the action to end a patient’s life is taken at the request of a patient with decisional capacity. Euthanasia is non-voluntary when the patient has made no such request. Euthanasia is involuntary when the action to end a patient’s life is taken against the patient’s wishes, values, or goals. Medically assisted dying refers to cases in which patients with decisional capacity request that their physicians prepare them and provide the means for them to follow through on their decision to control/manage the time and manner of their death.