Palliative sedation and euthanasia differ because:

• A. Palliative sedation hastens death
• B. Palliative sedation relieves refractory suffering by reducing consciousness; it is intended to relieve symptoms, not cause death
• C. It requires physician euthanasia license
• D. It is the same as euthanasia

Answer: (B)

The key idea is the difference in intent, not just effect. Palliative sedation is used to relieve refractory symptoms by lowering consciousness so the patient is comfortable. The primary aim is symptom control—relief of distress—while death is not the intended outcome. If death occurs, it may happen as a byproduct, but that is not what the clinician is trying to achieve.

In contrast, euthanasia involves a deliberate act whose purpose is to end the patient’s life to relieve suffering. That intentional aim makes it ethically, legally, and clinically distinct from palliative sedation. The statement about needing an euthanasia license is not accurate for palliative sedation, and saying it is the same as euthanasia would ignore the crucial difference in intent.