What is the practice of allowing the death of persons suffering from a life-limiting condition known as?

The practice of allowing the death of persons suffering from a life-limiting condition is known as euthanasia. This term refers specifically to the act of intentionally ending a person's life to relieve them of suffering, particularly in cases of terminal illness or severe, unmanageable pain. Euthanasia can be voluntary, where the individual provides consent, or involuntary, where the decision is made by someone else, often based on perceived quality of life considerations.

In this context, palliative care involves providing relief from pain and other distressing symptoms of serious illness, but it does not aim to hasten or cause death. Assisted suicide, while related, refers to the act of providing a person with the means to end their own life, which differs from euthanasia where someone else performs the act to directly cause death. Life support cessation pertains to the decision to discontinue treatments that keep a patient alive, which may lead to death, but it does not encompass the intentional act of euthanasia. Thus, euthanasia specifically addresses the ethical and medical considerations surrounding the decision to actively end life to alleviate suffering.