ABSTRACT
In the Dutch literature, medical actions that hasten the end of life have been classified in a variety of ways, and different definitions have come and gone during the past twenty years. More recently, a consensus has developed, and the definition used by the State Committee on Euthanasia in its 1985 report is now generally accepted as the “official” definition: “Euthanasia is the deliberate termination of a person's life by another person at the former's request.” The distinction between active and passive euthanasia and the concept of involuntary euthanasia are no longer part of the Dutch discussion. This narrowing of definitions in the formal discussion is not reflected in the way the term is used in practice, and many of those involved employ their own, often idiosyncratic definitions, which may also vary from one situation to another.
