| Abstract: | This article discusses legal and psychological factors relevant to the drafting of euthanasia statute for adults in the United States including legal and medical definitions of death; the distinction between passive and active euthanasia; living wills and advance directives; the psychological states found among those with a terminal illness; competency determinations; and currently proposed euthanasia models. Discussed at length are six different scenarios for which unique legal and psychological considerations apply to the euthanasia decision. The authors recommend that, if state or federal legislators draft euthanasia legislation, these factors should be incorporated into the statute. |
