Title: Need to bring a Bill to address issues relating to Euthanasia.
SHRI SURAVARAM SUDHAKAR REDDY (NALGONDA): Sir, I take this occasion to raise the issue of euthanasia, i.e., the permission to donate human organs while the patient is still alive.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court judgement of yesterday rejected the appeal of Mr. Venkatesh, an unfortunate man of 25 years. This looks like similar to the mercy killing but this is something different. While the patient donates his organs, in the process he is allowed to die. Mr. Venkatesh is suffering from Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a neurological defect and which is a genetic disease, for the last 19 years, i.e., from the age of six. He is bed-ridden for the last 14 years and now lying in a pathetic condition with multi-organ failure, except the brain.
If the ventilator is removed, then the patient will die. His organs might get infected which would be useless later on.
MR. SPEAKER: It is a matter before the court.
SHRI SURAVARAM SUDHAKAR REDDY : Sir, the present law on Human Organ Transplant permits donation of organs only in the event of natural death or accidental death or brain death. In this case, only the brain is alive. It is a pathetic case. The mother of the patient has appealed to both the Government authorities as well as the court to permit donation of the organs of his son as there is absolutely no chance of his recovery.
Sir, presently we do not have a law for mercy killing in hopeless cases. If we do not amend the present law to that extent, then the society at large would be cruel to such patients. The Government should take necessary measures in this regard at the earliest to avoid any misuse.
MR. SPEAKER: It is a very controversial issue.
SHRI SURAVARAM SUDHAKAR REDDY : Sir, there should be provision for mercy killing in the Act and the Act should be amended accordingly to facilitate such things.