"Do you have a citation for that proposition? Because my understanding is that the PATIENT decides, and where the patient is unable to express direction, then the court looks for other evidence of the PATIENT's wishes, and when there is insufficient evidence to terminate the life, the default position is to maintain it.
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It depends where you are. In most states, the next of kin can cancel life support after consultation with the physician. It happens every day. A young person is in a car accident and is brain dead. Parents have to make a decision about maintaining their body in a lifelike state. Most decide to let the son or daughter die and remove the life support.
Same with parents. Every day, in hospitals all over this country, children make decisions about life support for their parents, whether there's a living will or not.
Surely you know this.
The subject isn't brain dead people. It is PVS (and as you know, that diagnosis is contested .. but even if it was not), and the law is different then. As far as I know, the law looks for an Advance Directive from the living patient. THis is different from looking for the advanced directive of a brain dead patient.
So, do you have a cite for the proposition that somebody other than the PATIENT has a legal right to decide, when the PATIENT is in PVS? I understand that state laws may differ on that point. State law in Florida give the power (to decide) to the PATIENT and NOBODY ELSE.
The subject isn't brain dead people. It is PVS (and as you know, that diagnosis is contested .. but even if it was not), and the law is different then. As far as I know, the law looks for an Advance Directive from the living patient. THis is different from looking for the advanced directive of a brain dead patient.
So, do you have a cite for the proposition that somebody other than the PATIENT has a legal right to decide, when the PATIENT is in PVS? I understand that state laws may differ on that point. State law in Florida give the power (to decide) to the PATIENT and NOBODY ELSE.