Euthanasia is a deliberate, intentional act of one person to end the life of another person in order to relieve that person’s suffering. For example, a doctor injects a patient with a lethal substance to relieve that person from unbearable physical pain. The term euthanasia is often used in different ways. Three of the most common are:
- Voluntary euthanasia: Euthanasia is performed at the request of the person whose life is ended, and that person is competent. For example, a doctor injects a competent patient, at their request, with a lethal substance to relieve that person from unbearable physical pain.
- Non-voluntary euthanasia: Euthanasia is performed and the person is not competent. For example, a doctor injects a patient in a post-coma unresponsive state (sometimes referred to as a persistent vegetative state) with a lethal substance.
- Involuntary euthanasia: Euthanasia is performed and the person is competent but has not expressed the wish to die or has expressed a wish that he or she does not die. For example, a doctor injects a competent patient who is in the terminal stage of a terminal illness such as cancer with a lethal substance without that person’s request.






