Tube feeding and the permanently unconscious: the Supreme Court's decision in Cruzan.
In the recent case of Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health, a majority of the United States Supreme Court voted to affirm a Missouri decision rejecting the request of guardians for removal of tubes used to provide nutrition and hydration to a woman in a persistent vegetative state. This article analyzes the Court's decision, focusing specifically on the concurring and dissenting opinions in the case, and discusses the implications of this decision for the states.
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D000328:Adult; D003128:Coma; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008020:Life Support Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008923:Missouri; D012297:Right to Die / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014481:United States