PART 1643 - RESTRICTION ON ASSISTED SUICIDE, EUTHANASIA, AND MERCY KILLING

Authority:

Pub. L. 105-12; 42 U.S.C. 2996f(b)(11).

Source:

62 FR 67749, Dec. 30, 1997, unless otherwise noted.

§ 1643.1 Purpose.

This part is intended to ensure that recipients do not use any LSC funds for any assisted suicide, euthanasia or mercy killing activities prohibited by this part.

§ 1643.2 Definitions.

(a) Assisted suicide means the provision of any means to another person with the intent of enabling or assisting that person to commit suicide.

(b) Euthanasia (or mercy killing) is the use of active means by one person to cause the death of another person for reasons assumed to be merciful, regardless of whether the person killed consents to be killed.

(c) Suicide means the act or instance of taking one's own life voluntarily and intentionally.

§ 1643.3 Prohibition.

No recipient may use LSC funds to assist in, support, or fund any activity or service which has a purpose of assisting in, or to bring suit or provide any other form of legal assistance for the purpose of:

(a) Securing or funding any item, benefit, program, or service furnished for the purpose of causing, or the purpose of assisting in causing, the suicide, euthanasia, or mercy killing of any individual;

(b) Compelling any person, institution, or governmental entity to provide or fund any item, benefit, program, or service for such purpose; or

(c) Asserting or advocating a legal right to cause, or to assist in causing, the suicide, euthanasia, or mercy killing of any individual.

§ 1643.4 Applicability.

(a) Nothing in § 1643.3 shall be interpreted to apply to:

(1) The withholding or withdrawing of medical treatment or medical care;

(2) The withholding or withdrawing of nutrition or hydration;

(3) Abortion;

(4) The use of items, goods, benefits, or services furnished for purposes relating to the alleviation of pain or discomfort even if they may increase the risk of death, unless they are furnished for the purpose of causing or assisting in causing death; or

(5) The provision of factual information regarding applicable law on assisted suicide, euthanasia and mercy killing. Nor shall § 1643.3 be interpreted as limiting or interfering with the operation of any other statute or regulation governing the activities listed in this paragraph.

(b) This part does not apply to activities funded with a recipient's non-LSC funds.

§ 1643.5 Recipient policies and recordkeeping.

The recipient shall adopt written policies to guide its staff in complying with this part and shall maintain records sufficient to document the recipient's compliance with this part.