Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Now we can die with dignity' that was published in Newsband

Now we can die with dignity

The Supreme Court gave a verdict allowing passive euthanasia and giving legal status to ‘advance directives’ for a person to enjoy a dignified death. There is need to find substance and balance in the relationship between life, morality and the experience of dying. This is indeed a progressive and humane verdict.

The law is now protecting the dignity of a terminally ill patient or one in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) with no hope of cure or recovery. It is accelerating the process of death for reducing the period of suffering which constitutes a right to live with dignity. The law also provides the right to refuse medical treatment

Passive euthanasia was recognised by a two-judge Bench in Aruna Shanbaug in 2011; now added to it is the principle of a ‘living will’, or an advance directive, a practice whereby a person, while in a competent state of mind, leaves written instructions on the sort of medical treatment that may or may not be administered in the event of her reaching a stage of terminal illness. Burdening a dying patient with life-prolonging treatment and equipment merely because medical technology has advanced would be destructive of her dignity. Individual interest has to be given priority over the state interest.

This is indeed a remarkable verdict that recognizes the contradictions of life and death. The provisions should be helpful for the persons executing their will for euthanasia and any chance of recovery should be taken into account in the case of administering medicine.

This is a welcome judgment given that medical technology can otherwise prolong indefinitely even a vegetative life ruining a family's financial and other resources and cause tremendous harm even it be without any malice.

The fundamental right to a "meaningful existence" includes a person's choice to die without suffering

Excellent Judgement! Otherwise due to commercialization of Medical treatment, the patient would suffer and the person responsible to take care also would suffer physically, financially and mentally.

SC verdict is highly appreciable. It is in consonance with the nature's rule that everyone has to die one day. When a person's chances of recovery and survival are not sure, it is better to die sooner than later. In this aspect our Government hospitals generally have a practical approach than a commercial approach like private hospitals. This mercy killing is handy to avoid further sufferings of age old people and destitutes. This will also reduce financial burden to the respective families and Government.