Report No. 196

Medical Treatment to Terminally Ill Patients (Protection of Patients and Medical Practitioners)

Chapter I

Introductory

The title to this Report immediately suggests to one that we are dealing with 'Euthanasia' or 'Assisted Suicide'. But we make it clear at the outset that Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide continue to be unlawful and we are dealing with a different matter 'Withholding Life-support Measures' to patients terminally ill and, universally, in all countries, such withdrawal is treated as 'lawful'.