Do you need a witness for euthanasia?

Question

if you are termanilly ill and cant talk would you have to have someone sign a paper saying that its okay for a doctor to perform euthanasia on you??

Answer 1

Euthanasia is against the law. Ask Dr. Kevorkian. Witnesses did him no favors.

Answer 2

Euthanasia is, in the US, not legal. Assisted suicide, depends on the state.

However, it's important to understand the difference between active and passive. It's legal, under certain circumstances, to passively end someone's life. This is through the removal of "extraordinary" life saving mechanisms. For example, if someone is being kept alive only through medication, it's (usually) legal to stop giving the medication. It's not (usually) legal to stop giving someone life sustaining food, however.

I'm blanking on the name right now, but there was a recent (controversial) case where this was done. Husband wanted to end extraordinary means, parents (and Governor Bush) did not.

"Active" refers to taking an action to kill someone, such as through poison.

To answer your question, a doctor is well advised to have permission and witnesses. There have been plenty of cases where doctors (or nurses) have taken it upon themselves to use active or passive means to end the life of a terminally ill individual. If caught, these people tend to end up in jail.

Answer 3

This is against the law and there is no one who could legally agree to do this for you. Now, a DNR, or a "Do Not Resuscitate" order is a different thing. You would need to put this in place, in the form of a "Living Will" before you were no longer able to talk or at least communicate your wishes in some form, such as in writing.

Answer 4

In the US, euthanasia is illegal and criminal in every state.

Assisted suicide (which is different) is a legal in Oregon, in very specific circumstances. And yes, witnesses are involved.

Answer 5

if i cant talk, i doubt i can answer this question