Euthanasia and assisted suicide – NHS Choices

Euthanasia is the act of deliberately ending a person's life to relieve suffering.

For example,adoctor who gives a patient with terminal canceran overdose of muscle relaxants to end their life would be considered to have carried out euthanasia.

Assisted suicide is the act of deliberately assisting or encouraging another person to kill themselves.

If a relative of a person with a terminal illness wereto obtain powerful sedatives, knowing that the person intended to take an overdose of sedatives to kill themselves, theymay be considered tobe assisting suicide.

Both active euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal under English law.

Depending on the circumstances, euthanasia is regarded as either manslaughter or murder and is punishable bylaw, with a maximum penalty of up to life imprisonment.

Assisted suicide is illegal under the terms of the Suicide Act (1961) and is punishable by up to 14 years' imprisonment. Attempting tokill yourselfis not a criminal actin itself.

Euthanasia can be classified in different ways, including:

Euthanasia can also be classified as:

Depending on the circumstances, voluntary and non-voluntary euthanasia could be regarded as either voluntary manslaughter (where someone kills another person, but circumstances can partly justify their actions) or murder.

Involuntary euthanasia is almost always regarded as murder.

There are arguments used by both supporters and opponents of euthanasia and assisted suicide. Read more about the arguments for and against euthanasia and assisted suicide.

If you are approaching the end of life, you have a right to goodpalliative careto control pain and other symptomsas well as psychological, social and spiritual support.

You're also entitled to have a say in the treatments you receive at this stage.

For example, under English law, all adults have the right to refuse medical treatment,as long as they have sufficient capacity (the ability to use and understand information to make a decision).

If you know that your capacity to consent may be affected in the future, you can arrange a legally bindingadvance decision (previously known as an advance directive).

An advance decision sets out the procedures and treatments that you consent to and those that you do not consent to. This means that the healthcare professionals treating you cannot perform certain procedures or treatments against your wishes.

Read more about yourrights when approaching the end of life.

Active euthanasia is currently only legal in Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg. Under the laws in these countries, a persons life can be deliberately ended by their doctor or other healthcare professional.

The person is usually given an overdose of muscle relaxants or sedatives.This causes acoma and then death.

However, euthanasia is only legal if the following three criteria are met:

Capacity is the ability to use and understand information to make a decision. Read more about the capacity to consent to treatment.

In some countries the law is less clear, with some forms of assisted suicide and passive euthanasia legal, but active euthanasia illegal.

For example, some types of assisted suicide and passive euthanasia are legal in Switzerland, Germany, Mexico and five American states.

Page last reviewed: 11/08/2014

Next review due: 11/08/2016

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Euthanasia and assisted suicide - NHS Choices