ABSTRACT
Euthanasia is an act intended to shorten life. It is classified as follows: Voluntary euthanasia is carried out at the specific request of a competent patient; involuntary euthanasia is carried out without the request of a competent patient; and non-voluntary euthanasia is carried out when the patient is incapable of giving meaningful consent. Euthanasia is legal in some countries and the Dutch Justice Minister has recently ruled that dementia is a valid reason for euthanasia. Living wills or ‘advance directives’ are the wishes of a person, recorded and witnessed at a time when they are in good health and of sound mind. The instruction ‘do not resuscitate’ may be considered acceptable in the event of a sudden collapse when it is thought likely that attempts to resuscitate the patient will be unsuccessful or that they might only survive for a very short time.
