Bench says it would lay down guidelines for drafting living wills and how it can be authenticated. It has reserved the case for judgment.
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Why is It in the news?
Bench says it would lay down guidelines for drafting living wills and how it can be authenticated. It has reserved the case for judgment.
Highlights
A person’s advance directive to withdraw medical care to allow him to die with dignity should take effect only when a medical board affirms that his condition is beyond cure and irreversible
The Chief Justice, heading a five-judge Constitution Bench, was responding to a debate on when exactly a person’s ‘Living Will’ or advance directive for end-of-life medical care should take effect
The Bench said it would lay down guidelines for drafting living wills and how it can be authenticated. It has reserved the case for judgment
The court is hearing a petition by NGO Independent Thought to legalize euthanasia and the concept of ‘Living Will.’
Procedure suggested
A certificate from a statutory medical board that a patient’s condition was beyond cure and irreversible would take care of apprehensions of relatives and doctors about withdrawing life support.
If a man is admitted to a hospital and he goes into a coma. The hospital informs the medical board, which takes a fair, informed and impartial decision that his medical condition is beyond cure. This decision is taken by the medical board on the touchstone of modern technology,”
That there should be medical boards in every district, the decision of the board would be final and an advance directive should yield to the board’s decision
