Who speaks for incompetent patients? The case of Joseph Saikewicz.
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, in the Saikewicz case, has said that decisions to withhold or to withdraw life-prolonging treatment from terminally ill, incompetent patients must be made only by the courts. A legislative proposal made in Massachusetts would return life-and-death decisions where they belong: to family members, the attending physicians, and a medical prognosis committee of the hospital.
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D000368:Aged; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability; D008020:Life Support Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010819:Physician's Role; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014918:Wills / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence