Dept. of Forensic Medicine, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal, Manipur.
The changing scenario of the end of life often presents moral, ethical and legal dilemma to the treating physicians regarding the best course of action considering the futility of care, the right to refuse medical treatment, euthanasia and physician assisted suicide. This paper presents the current world and Indian scenario of these conflicting issues mainly questioning the practicability of euthanasia and the vagaries of the different legal systems. Attention is directed to the ever worsening plight of the patient in the end-of-life care despite the profusion of words and statutes from all directions.
End-of-life, medical ethics, legal aspects, personal autonomy, sanctity of life, beneficence, non-malficence, physician assisted suicide, euthanasia
