Title: BBC - Ethics - Euthanasia: Forms of euthanasia
Headings: Forms of euthanasia
Forms of euthanasia
On this page
Forms of euthanasia
Active and passive euthanasia
Voluntary and involuntary euthanasia
Indirect euthanasia
Assisted suicide

Content: BBC - Ethics - Euthanasia: Forms of euthanasia
Forms of euthanasia
The different types of euthanasia, some of which may be seen as more or less acceptable depending on your outlook. On this page
Forms of euthanasia
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Forms of euthanasia
Euthanasia comes in several different forms, each of which brings a different set of rights and wrongs. Active and passive euthanasia
In active euthanasia a person directly and deliberately causes the patient's death. In passive euthanasia they don't directly take the patient's life, they just allow them to die. This is a morally unsatisfactory distinction, since even though a person doesn't 'actively kill' the patient, they are aware that the result of their inaction will be the death of the patient. Active euthanasia is when death is brought about by an act - for example when a person is killed by being given an overdose of pain-killers. Passive euthanasia is when death is brought about by an omission - i.e. when someone lets the person die. This can be by withdrawing or withholding treatment: Withdrawing treatment: