NEW DELHI, Aug 13:
The government has no proposal under its consideration to make a law on the mercy killing, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said in a written reply that his ministry was of the view that the Supreme Court had laid down a guideline through its judgement on the Aruna Shanbag’s case to be followed in such cases.
These guidelines should be treated as a law and there was no proposal under consideration for making law on this subject, the Minister added.
He said after a communication from the Law Commission on medical treatment to terminally ill patients, the Health Ministry had conveyed its views to the Law and Justice Ministry.
The reasons given by the Health Ministry was that it was hippocratic and against intentional voluntary killing of patient. There was progression in medical science to relieve pain and suffering. Rehabilitation and treatment of incurable diseases will receive a setback.
Individual may wish to die at a point of time and his/her wish may not be persistent. It may be difficult to quantify suffering which may always be subject to changing social pressures and norms.
The doctors could not claim to have knowledge and experience to certify that the disease was incurable and patient was permanently invalid, the Minister said. (UNI)
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