Non Voluntary Euthanasia

Non voluntary Euthanasia is ending the life of a person who lacks the capacity either to know or express his or her own wishes as to continued existence. Such a situation would arise in infants; in patients with severe brain damage or dementia; in severly mentally impaired people; and in people in a persistant vegetative state. The distinction between 'involuntary' and 'non-voluntary' is more than academic since the person in the former case would be capable of making a decision if given the opportunity. It is particularly important to bear in mind the situation of infants and children in terminal or severe illness and handicap.

Much of the debate concerning euthanasia revolves around adults, notably the elderly and the younger adult with progressive illness, but the problems may arise just as acutely at the earlier stages of life. the law is, in fact, the same for every age.