Legal Definitions - nonvoluntary euthanasia

Nonvoluntary euthanasia refers to the act of ending a person's life to relieve their suffering, when that person is unable to give or refuse consent to the act. This typically occurs because the individual lacks the mental capacity to make such a decision, perhaps due to a coma, severe cognitive impairment, or being an infant. In such cases, the decision to end life is made by a third party, such as a family member or a medical professional, often based on what they believe to be in the person's best interest.

• Example 1: Patient in a Persistent Vegetative State

  An individual has been in a persistent vegetative state for several years following a severe accident, with no hope of recovery. They are kept alive by life support, but medical professionals confirm there is no brain activity indicating consciousness. Their family, after extensive consultation with medical professionals and agonizing over the decision, requests the withdrawal of life support, knowing it will lead to the patient's death, to end what they perceive as prolonged suffering and a lack of dignity.

  This is nonvoluntary euthanasia because the patient cannot consent or refuse due to their vegetative state. The decision to end their life (by withdrawing life support) is made by the family, intending to relieve suffering.

• Example 2: Severely Disabled Newborn

  A newborn is diagnosed with an extremely severe and untreatable congenital condition that causes constant, excruciating pain and offers no prospect of a meaningful life, with medical professionals agreeing that the child will never achieve consciousness or awareness. After careful consideration and medical advice, the parents decide, with the hospital's agreement, to withhold life-sustaining treatment, leading to the infant's death.

  This situation illustrates nonvoluntary euthanasia because the infant is incapable of expressing consent or refusal. The parents, acting on behalf of the child and in consultation with doctors, make the decision to end the child's life to prevent prolonged suffering.

• Example 3: Adult with Advanced Dementia

  An elderly person with advanced Alzheimer's disease has lost all capacity for communication and recognition, experiencing significant physical decline and distress. While they never created an advance directive, their family observes their profound suffering and, after discussions with their doctors, decides to transition them to palliative care, which involves discontinuing certain aggressive treatments that are prolonging life but not improving its quality, ultimately leading to a peaceful death.

  This is nonvoluntary euthanasia because the individual with advanced dementia cannot provide consent or refusal for medical interventions. The family, acting as surrogates, makes the decision to cease life-prolonging treatments to alleviate the patient's suffering and ensure comfort in their final stages of life.