Feeding Tube Withdrawn From Patient With No Living Will
MAY 27, 2002 VOLUME 9, NUMBER 48 One way to help assure that you will not receive unwanted medical care is to sign an advance medical directive. Every U.S. state now recognizes health care powers of attorney (sometimes called health care proxies) or living wills. Nearly all states recognize both types of documents. Often, however, […]
Evidence of Living Will Intent Must Be Clear and Convincing
OCTOBER 15, 2001 VOLUME 9, NUMBER 16 Many patients approaching the end of life feel very strongly that they would not want to be kept alive by feeding tubes, artificial breathing machines or other devices. Signing appropriate advance directives helps, but there is no guarantee that they will be located, properly understood and followed in […]
Court Refuses Permission For Withdrawal Of Feeding Tube
AUGUST 13, 2001 VOLUME 9, NUMBER 7 Twice before we have told the unfolding and tragic story of Robert Wendland. Fate and the California Supreme Court have now written the final two chapters in the saga. You may recall that Robert Wendland was injured when his truck rolled over in 1993. Mr. Wendland had been […]
Developmentally Disabled Man Dies Before Court Decides His Fate
AUGUST 16, 1999 VOLUME 7, NUMBER 7 Though once viewed as slightly out of the mainstream of American thought, the “right-to-die” movement has become widely accepted today. Few would argue with the notion that a competent patient has the right to refuse life-sustaining treatment, even when the medical community collectively believes that the treatment should […]