The Right to Refuse Treatment and Natural Death Legislation

Abstract

A great deal of discussion and debate has centered around the right of a terminally ill patient to refuse life-sustaining treatment. The statement of policy found in Idaho's recent Natural Death Act summarizes many of these issues:The legislature finds that adult persons have a fundamental right to control decisions relating to the rendering of their medical care, including the decisions to have life sustaining procedures withheld or withdrawn in instances of a terminal condition.The legislature further finds that modern medical technology has made possible the artificial prolongation of human life beyond natural limits.The legislature further finds that patients suffering from terminal conditions are sometimes unable to express their desire to withhold or withdraw such artificial life prolongation procedures because of the progress of the disease process which renders the patient comatose or unable to communicate with the physician.