Free US Law Dictionary

Euthanasia

Euthanasia (literally "good death" in Ancient Greek) refers to the practice of ending a life, usually through lethal injection. It is illegal in most countries.

Euthanasia, also known as physician assisted suicide, is an extremely controversial subject, not only because there are many differential moral dilemmas associated with it, but also in what constitutes its definition. At one end of the disagreement, proponents say euthanasia (which sometimes encompasses physician aid in dying or physician assisted suicide) is a merciful method of death. At the other end, the opponents of euthanasia consider this method as a form of murder or at least likely to result in unacceptable harm to vulnerable classes of individuals.

Euthanasia can be conducted in various ways. In order to distinguish certain methods, more specific terminology may be used when discussing euthanasia.