Legal Definitions - assisted suicide

Assisted suicide refers to the act where an individual intentionally ends their own life with the direct help or facilitation of another person. This assistance typically involves providing the means (such as a lethal prescription) or the necessary information, but it is crucial that the individual who wishes to die performs the final, life-ending action themselves.

This concept is distinct from euthanasia, where another person directly administers the life-ending act. The legality and terminology surrounding assisted suicide, particularly when a physician is involved (often called "physician-assisted suicide" or "medical aid in dying"), vary significantly by jurisdiction.

• Example 1: Physician-Provided Medication in a Legal Context

  In a state where medical aid in dying is legally permitted, a patient diagnosed with a terminal illness and experiencing unbearable suffering, after undergoing multiple medical evaluations and psychological assessments to confirm their eligibility and mental competency, requests assistance to end their life. Their physician then prescribes a specific medication designed to be lethal. The patient takes this medication themselves at home, ending their life peacefully.

  This illustrates assisted suicide because the physician provided the necessary means (the prescription), but the patient ultimately performed the act of taking the medication to end their own life.

• Example 2: Non-Physician Assistance with Providing Means

  A person suffering from a debilitating and painful chronic illness expresses a strong desire to end their life to a close friend. The friend, out of a misguided sense of compassion and without legal authorization, obtains a specific substance known to be lethal and gives it to their friend. The friend then consumes the substance, resulting in their death.

  Here, the friend engaged in assisted suicide by providing the physical means for the individual to end their life. Even though the friend was not a medical professional and the act was likely illegal, the core definition of providing assistance for self-termination is met.

• Example 3: Providing Detailed Instructions or Guidance

  An individual with a severe, untreatable neurological condition, who has expressed a clear and persistent wish to end their suffering, asks a trusted family member for guidance. The family member, after extensive research, compiles detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to safely and effectively administer a lethal dose of a medication that the individual already possesses. The family member then provides these instructions to the individual, who subsequently follows them to end their life.

  This demonstrates assisted suicide because the family member provided crucial knowledge and guidance, effectively enabling the individual to carry out the act of ending their own life, even without physically providing the medication itself.