Medical law and ethics: physician-assisted suicide: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Medical law and ethics: physician-assisted suicide

Sample item

A physician supplies a lethal dose of a drug to a terminally ill, mentally competent patient, who then takes it himself. How is the physician's act described?

APassive euthanasiaBVoluntary active euthanasiaCPhysician-assisted suicideDInvoluntary euthanasia

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Physician-assisted suicide

In physician-assisted suicide the doctor provides the means and the patient performs the final act. In active euthanasia the doctor himself administers the lethal drug. Passive euthanasia is withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment.

Option by option

A. Passive euthanasia
Passive euthanasia is withholding or withdrawing treatment.
B. Voluntary active euthanasia
In active euthanasia the doctor administers the drug, which he did not do here.
C. Physician-assisted suicide (correct)
Correct. The doctor supplies the means and the patient takes them, which is assisted suicide.
D. Involuntary euthanasia
Involuntary euthanasia is done against the patient's wishes.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is C, Physician-assisted suicide. In physician-assisted suicide the doctor provides the means and the patient performs the final act.

Why is "Passive euthanasia" not the answer?

Passive euthanasia is withholding or withdrawing treatment.

Why is "Voluntary active euthanasia" not the answer?

In active euthanasia the doctor administers the drug, which he did not do here.

Why is "Involuntary euthanasia" not the answer?

Involuntary euthanasia is done against the patient's wishes.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Medical law and ethics: physician-assisted suicide in Forensic Medicine. In active euthanasia the doctor himself administers the lethal drug. Passive euthanasia is withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Medical law and ethics: physician-assisted suicide?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.