Which statement best distinguishes passive euthanasia from active euthanasia?

• A. Passive euthanasia involves deliberate actions to cause death.
• B. Passive euthanasia involves withholding or withdrawing treatment; active euthanasia involves deliberate actions to cause death.
• C. Passive euthanasia is illegal; active euthanasia is legal.
• D. Passive is about palliative care; active is about organ donation.

Answer: (B)

The important distinction is in intent and action. Passive euthanasia means withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment, so death results from the illness rather than from a deliberate act to cause death. Active euthanasia means deliberately taking an action to end a person’s life, such as administering a lethal dose of medication. That difference in intent is what sets the two apart, making the statement that passive involves withholding or withdrawing treatment and active involves deliberate actions to cause death the best answer. For context, withholding ventilation or stopping a feeding tube are examples of passive decisions aligned with patient wishes, while giving a lethal injection would be active euthanasia. Legality and other aspects vary by jurisdiction and are not the defining difference here.