What defines active euthanasia?

Active euthanasia is defined as the act of directly assisting a person to die, often through specific means such as administering a lethal substance, usually at the patient’s request. This process involves taking an active role in ending a person's life, typically in situations where individuals are suffering from terminal illnesses or incurable conditions that cause unbearable pain. The key element here is consent; the individual must have the capacity to request this action, underscoring the ethical principle of autonomy, where the patient has the right to make decisions about their own body and life.

Other options relate to end-of-life decisions but do not involve direct intervention to cause death. Withdrawal of treatment and withholding life-sustaining measures focus on allowing the natural course of a condition to take place rather than actively causing death. Allowing death from natural causes similarly implies no direct act aimed at hastening death. Therefore, these options do not fit the definition of active euthanasia, making the choice regarding assisting a person to die with consent the accurate description of this practice.