The distinction between active and passive euthanasia is based on the nature of the involvement of the health professional or other person in control of the patient’s care. Therefore, the difference to be drawn is that between acting so as to cause death and omitting to act so that death is allowed to occur.
Active euthanasia corresponds to the deliberate administration of lethal substance with the intention to provoke death, requested by the patient or decider by a relatives or a medical person in case where the patient can no longer give consent. As for passive euthanasia, it relates to the withdrawal of the necessary treatments to maintain life.