Living-Will: The Ultimate Right over One’s Life
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51333/njpsw.2021.v22.i2.280Abstract
Living-will is a written statement depicting individuals’ directions regarding future medical treatment in situations in which they are no longer able to express informed consent. Based on the secondary literature and substantiated with empirical findings, it carves out the need for death preparedness in general and endorsing living-will in particular. The paper covers the prevailing legislations and legal measures permitting passive euthanasia in different countries including India. It further entails all the essential requisites for writing a ‘living-will’ incorporating all the procedures and steps needed to be followed. The authors have tried to pinpoint the challenges encountered with their use briefly with special reference to India and have tried to add some valid suggestions. Lastly, to make it more user friendly, a suggestive format of writing a ‘living-will’ has also been provided.
Keywords: Advance directive, living-will, euthanasia, persistent vegetative state, patients’ rights
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