{"id":"f-73cd9b4b27-81e74723-d95e-5fba-8698-7ded8d882f75","title":"Explained: What is passive euthanasia; that SC allows for Harish Rana, coma patient of 13 years","description":"The conversation around end-of-life care sits uncomfortably at the intersection of medical ethics, law and individual autonomy. Passive euthanasia, in contrast to active euthanasia where direct action is used to cause intentional death, involves withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining medical treatments.","timestamp":1773237914,"category":"national_v_two","headline":"Explained: What is passive euthanasia; that SC allows for Harish Rana, coma patient of 13 years","modifiedHeadline":"Court allows euthanasia for man in 13-year coma","subCategories":["scid_6a7129b0"],"subcategoriesName":["Other"],"region":"IN","bundleMetaData":{"bundleId":"7b48871c-c993-4956-b43d-6f46f8e1b036","bundleTitle":"Today In India","cardData":null},"iabCategoryId":"313","iabCategoryName":"Brain and Nervous System Disorders","fcSummary":"the supreme court has permitted passive euthanasia for the first time, approving it in the case of harish rana, who has been in a persistent vegetative state for 13 years following a severe accident. the court acknowledged rana’s irreversible condition and the lack of recovery prospects, allowing life-sustaining treatment to be withdrawn with dignity and medical protocols. this ruling marks a significant step toward upholding the right to die with dignity in india.","summary":"In a landmark development, the Supreme Court permitted passive euthanasia for the first time to a patient who has been in coma for 13 years.","ctaUrl":"https://trends.glance.com/newz/astrology/IN/en/news9/f-73cd9b4b27-81e74723-d95e-5fba-8698-7ded8d882f75","sourceUrl":"https://www.news9live.com/india/explained-what-is-passive-euthanasia-that-sc-allows-for-harish-rana-coma-patient-of-13-years-2941769","bannerImage":"https://g-mob.glance-cdn.com/public/fc/image/xLCOFtMSk750.webp","content":"

New Delhi: In a landmark development, the Supreme Court on Wednesday permitted passive euthanasia for the first time under the legal framework laid down

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in its 2018 Common Cause judgment, updated in 2023. The decision came from a bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice KV Viswanathan. The order was passed while hearing a plea filed by the father of 32-year-old Harish Rana, who has remained in an irreversible vegetative state for 13 years after suffering a devastating fall from a building.

The Harish Rana case

Harish Rana had been in a permanent unconscious state for nearly 13 years after falling from the fourth floor of his hostel while studying in Chandigarh in 2013. The accident caused severe brain injuries, leaving him fully bedridden with 100 per cent disability and no hope of recovery. The ruling marks the Court’s first-ever approval of passive euthanasia under the right to die with dignity.

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The bench recorded the harrowing details of Rana’s medical condition, observing that “Harish Rana, presently aged 32 years, was once a young, bright boy. He met with a tragic life-altering accident after a fall from the fourth floor of his paying guest accommodation. His brain injury left him in a condition of Persistent Vegetative State (PSV) with 100% quadraplegia… Medical reports show that his medical condition has not improved in the past 13 years.” Notably, Rana is sustaining life only on Clinically Administered Nutrition (CAN) administered through surgically installed PEG tubes.

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The bench underlined that the entire process of passive euthanasia must be carried out with dignity, compassion and strict adherence to medical and ethical protocols. According to the medical assessment submitted by AIIMS, there is no possibility of Rana recovering from his condition. Justice JB Pardiwala observed that the report was extremely distressing. “This is a very painful report… This is a difficult decision for us, but we cannot allow this boy to remain in such endless suffering. We have reached a stage today where a final decision must be taken,” he said.

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What is passive euthanasia

Euthanasia is the practice of intentionally ending a life to relieve suffering. Passive euthanasia involves withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining medical treatments of an individual so that the underlying disease or condition follows its natural course toward death. Rather than taking a direct action to end a life, as is done in the case of active euthanasia, this method focuses on stopping interventions that only serve to prolong the dying process.

Common examples of processes related to passive euthanasia include stopping the use of breathing machines or mechanical ventilators, ending treatments such as dialysis, withdrawing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if the heart stops and discontinuing artificial nutrition and hydration through feeding tubes.

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The approach is often considered when a patient is terminally ill or in an incurable state where further medical intervention would not offer a reasonable chance of recovery. While the approach has been made legal in many countries such as the US, India, UK, Canada and others, conversation around end-of-life care remains contentious and complex, often sitting uncomfortably at the intersection of medical ethics, law, and individual autonomy.

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Explained: What is passive euthanasia; that SC allows for Harish Rana, coma patient of 13 years

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