The Karnataka Health Department implemented the Supreme Court’s right-to-dignity guidelines, allowing terminally ill patients to end life support via a two-tier medical review and court approval.
PTI, Bengalaru, 31 August 2025 : Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday announced that the state health department has passed a historic order to implement the Supreme Court’s directive for a patient’s right to die with dignity.
Taking to the social media post ‘X’, he stated that the department has also come out with an Advance Medical Directive (AMD), or a living will, in which a patient can record their wishes about their medical treatment in the future.
“My Karnataka Health Department, @DHFWKA, passes a historic order to implement the Supreme Court’s directive for a patients Right to Die with dignity,” he said.
The minister said this will immensely benefit those who are terminally ill with no hope of recovery, or are in a persistent vegetative state, and where the patient no longer benefits from life-sustaining treatment.
“We have also come out with an Advance Medical Directive (AMD), or a living will, in which a patient can record their wishes about their medical treatment in the future,” he said.
This important step, according to the minister, will bring great relief and a dignified sense of closure to many families and individuals.
“Karnataka is a progressive state and we are always at the forefront in upholding liberal and equitable values for a more and just society,” he added.
Agencies: In a historic development, the Karnataka Health Department issued an order on January 30, 2025, to implement the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling that allows terminally ill patients the right to die with dignity. Karnataka has become the second state after Kerala to adopt this policy, which will offer relief to individuals with no hope of recovery or those in a persistent vegetative state.
Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao emphasized that the decision will benefit patients who can no longer derive any advantage from life-sustaining treatments. The new policy includes a two-step medical review process where a primary board of three doctors will initially assess the patient’s condition. This will be followed by a secondary review involving three doctors and one government-appointed medical expert, who will send the final report to court for approval.
As part of the implementation, the Health Department has also introduced an Advance Medical Directive (AMD), commonly known as a living will. This document allows individuals to record their wishes regarding future medical treatments. In his announcement on X, Health Minister Rao described the move as a progressive step for Karnataka, affirming the state’s commitment to upholding liberal and equitable values. “This will bring great relief and a dignified sense of closure to many families and individuals,” he stated.
The Supreme Court’s ruling, issued on January 24, 2023, permits the withdrawal of life support in cases where a patient’s condition is beyond recovery or if they are in a persistent vegetative state. The Health Department’s order mandates that district health officers across Karnataka appoint registered medical practitioners to serve on the secondary medical board, which will certify when life-sustaining treatment can be discontinued for terminally ill patients.
Specialists authorized under The Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994, including neurologists, surgeons, and anesthetists, will play a key role in the certification process. The Centre had previously issued draft guidelines outlining conditions for passive euthanasia, including the necessity of confirming brainstem death, an advanced and irreversible disease condition, and the patient’s documented refusal to continue life support.
The Karnataka government’s order also reflects the national conversation around passive euthanasia, which gained legal recognition in 2018 when the Supreme Court permitted individuals to draft living wills to decline life support in case of terminal illness. If approved by the court, life support can be withdrawn under medical supervision, allowing the patient to pass away peacefully.
With this development, Karnataka continues to lead the way in progressive healthcare policies, ensuring that those facing terminal illnesses can have a dignified and humane end-of-life experience.
