Why in News: The U.K. House of Commons recently passed the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, allowing physician-assisted dying for terminally ill adults — reigniting global debate on euthanasia. This has renewed discussions in India on reforming its passive euthanasia framework.
Introduction
- The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill passed by the U.K. Parliament reignited global debate on euthanasia.
- India recognises passive euthanasia (withdrawal of life support) but prohibits active euthanasia (deliberate ending of life).
- Key judgments: Aruna Shanbaug (2011) and Common Cause (2018) upheld the right to die with dignity under Article 21.
Current Framework and Limitations
Legal procedure requires:
- Two medical boards’ approval.
- Existence of a valid advance directive.
- Sometimes judicial sanction.
- Result: Implementation is slow, complex, and inaccessible.
- Families often make informal decisions, exposing doctors to legal risks.
- Lack of awareness and bureaucratic hurdles undermine the law’s intent.
Why Active Euthanasia Is Unsuitable for India
- India’s healthcare is fragmented and under-resourced.
- High treatment costs and poor palliative care create ethical risks of coercion for poor or elderly patients.
- Deep religious sensitivities and family involvement complicate end-of-life choices.
- Constitutionally, right to life cannot be stretched to mean right to be killed.
Reforming the Passive Euthanasia Mechanism
Digital Reforms:
- Launch a national digital portal for registering advance directives, linked to Aadhaar for verification.
Institutional Mechanisms:
- Empower hospital ethics committees (senior doctors + palliative expert + neutral member) to decide within 48 hours.
- Replace State ombudsman with decentralised digital monitoring and independent medical auditors.
Safeguards:
- Seven-day cooling-off period, counselling, and mandatory palliative review.
Training and Awareness:
- Include end-of-life ethics in medical education.
- Conduct nationwide awareness drives on advance care planning.
Way Forward
- Ensure dignity in dying through humane and efficient systems.
- Reform passive euthanasia without adopting active euthanasia.
- Digitally driven, transparent, and compassionate mechanisms will align with Indian ethical values and protect vulnerable lives.
UPSC Relevance:
GS Paper II: Issues related to health, ethics, and human rights; role of judiciary in upholding constitutional rights (Article 21 – Right to Life and Dignity).
Mains Practice Question:
Q. “India’s approach to euthanasia reflects ethical restraint rather than legal inertia.” Discuss in the context of recent debates on reforming passive euthanasia.