In an effort to reduce this occurrence, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is enacting a new law, beginning today, that gives certain family members more power than others.
The law, passed in November 2006, defines which family member is authorized to make medical decisions for a patient who is too incapacitated to make them, assuming that patient has no legal documentation defining his or her wishes.
The new law establishes a chain of command for surviving family members.
Law addresses end-of-life care
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The American way of death has become a major public issue that goes well beyond the Schiavo case. No longer are life- and-death decisions made just by individuals and their families. Doctors, lawyers, insurance companies, politicians and judges have stepped into this highly personal arena.
As a society, we share an interest in determining what options are available, how they are accessed, and what rules are followed.
The Public Issues Forums of Centre County will host a deliberative discussion to help local residents talk about the question of what to do at the end of life.
Who should be making end-of-life decisions?
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