What is euthanasia?
Q: What is euthanasia?
A: Euthanasia is when a person's life is purposely ended because of disease or pain, which has made them suffer.
Q: How does euthanasia differ from assisted suicide?
A: Assisted suicide involves someone helping another person to kill themselves, while euthanasia involves ending a person's life without their help.
Q: Is euthanasia legal in most countries?
A: No, euthanasia is illegal in most countries. It is only permitted in a few places such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Victoria, Australia.
Q: What did the New Zealand Parliament vote on regarding euthanasia?
A: The New Zealand Parliament voted 69 - 51 to pass the End of Life Choice Bill.
Q: Are there rules for cases where euthanasia is allowed?
A: Yes, where it is permitted there are many rules and it can only be used in cases where the patient is terminally ill.
Q: Is physician-assisted suicide legal in some US states?
A: Yes, physician-assisted suicide (PAD) is legal in Washington, Oregon and Montana.
Q: How does physician-assisted suicide differ from euthanasia?
A: Physician-assisted suicide means that lethal means are made available to the patient to use at their own choosing; however with euthanasia it is usually the doctor who gives the poison to end a patient's life.
