[Avodah] assisted suicide

[Stadlan, Noam]

One of the standard halachic approaches to refusal of care is that if a
patient has a terminal illness(usually defined as life expectancy less than
a year) then refusing medical care that does not have a high likelihood of
significantly extending life, especially if it is painful or involves
significant side effects, is an acceptable option.  Similarly, medication or
treatment that alleviate suffering are permissible, even if they have the
potential to kill or shorten the life.  However, administering medication
with the express purpose of killing is obviously forbidden.  Many frum jews,
with rabbinic agreement, forego invasive and painful treatment when it is
clear that the treatment will not result in significant extension of
life(even if they may get a few more months of life if they had the
treatment).

On the discussion of extension of 'natural life', one has a basic obligation
to take care of one's body-shemor nafshecha me'od, and that usually is
accepted to include not only staying away from harmful things(smoking), but
also being proactive in taking care of your body.  Therefore, if there is a
medication that will significantly help your health, unless it causes
significant distress or side effects, I believe you have a halachic
obligation to take it.  Taking your heart medication, diabetes medication,
hypertension medication, daily aspirin, etc. all would fall under taking
care of your body, and are a halachic obligation.  I think a life-extending
drug would fall under the same umbrella.  

Noam Stadlan (MD)