Decisions Near the End of Life

Abstract

...The Council has issued opinions on withdrawing and withholding life-prolonging treatment from patients who are terminally ill or permanently unconscious and has also published reports concerning do-not-resuscitate orders, euthanasia, and withdrawal of life-prolonging treatment from permanently unconscious patients. This report will reexamine the Council's existing positions and will expand the analysis to include physician-assisted suicide and withdrawing or withholding life-sustaining treatment for patients who are neither terminally ill nor permanently unconscious. The report will focus on competent patients in nonemergency situations. The issue of decisions near the end of life for incompetent patients is addressed in a separate report by the Council.