Health Sciences 2610F/G Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Daniel J. Callaghan, Persistent Vegetative State, Principle Of Double Effect
14 Jul 2016
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Active: roughly, involves killing a patient o o. This is often what people have in mind when they simply speak of euthanasia. Be careful to distinguish killing from murdering ( wrongful killing ) not all killings are murders. Passive: roughly, involves letting a patient die o o. Example: failing to revive a patient who has signed a dnr order. Example: not performing a needed surgery or not administering a needed drug. Voluntary: killing or letting die a competent person who has expressed a desire for this (usually over a sustained period of time) Non-voluntary: killing or letting die when the patient is unable to express such a desire: not the same as involuntary not a seriously considered possibility. Not actually euthanasia since the patient ultimately kills him/herself o o. The line between the 2 can become thin. Voluntary passive euthanasia = legal (in fact, required) Voluntary active euthanasia = illegal: however, see the doctrine of the double effect.
