Supreme Court Allows Withdrawal Of Life Support In Landmark Harish Rana Case

In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court of India has allowed the withdrawal of certain life sustaining treatment in the case of Harish Rana v. Union of India, a patient who had been in a permanent vegetative state since 2013. The Court clarified that Clinically Administered Nutrition and Hydration, or CANH, can be considered a form of medical treatment and may be withdrawn under strict safeguards when it no longer serves the patient’s best interests. Here is what the judgment means for end of life medical decisions, passive euthanasia, and patient dignity in India.