Definition
- Passive euthanasia involves withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment, allowing a terminally ill patient to die naturally rather than actively causing death.​
- Doctors do not start or continue treatments like ventilators or feeding tubes needed to keep a patient alive.
- This differs from active euthanasia, where lethal drugs are administered intentionally.​
Legal Status in India
- Supreme Court legalized passive euthanasia in 2018 through the Common Cause case, recognizing living wills for competent patients to refuse treatment.
- This upholds the right to die with dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution, but requires court approval and strict guidelines.​
Ongoing reform debate
- Multiple analyses note that, despite legality, passive euthanasia is still hard to access due to multi‑tier medical boards, documentation requirements, and low awareness, leading families and doctors to make informal end‑of‑life decisions outside the legal framework.​
- Oriented platforms and policy commentators are calling for clearer legislation to replace court‑made guidelines, digital registries for living wills, stronger safeguards, and better palliative‑care access so that the constitutional promise of dignity in death is meaningful in practice.​
Global Context
- Many countries permit passive euthanasia, like most US states allowing withdrawal of treatment per patient wishes.
- Active forms remain restricted in places like India, focusing instead on consent and futility.​
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