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Q&A

These are questions that are commonly asked of the World Federation and our member societies related to the right to die, euthanasia, assisted suicide, advance directives (living wills, etc.), the law, and related concerns. These are of particular use to students and scholars interested in these topics.

Introduction

DNR - Questions & Answers for Patients
Does Effective Pain Control Eliminate the Need for Physician-Assisted Dying?
Doesn't Assisted Dying Violate Medical Tradition?
How Is Assisted Death Compatible With Principles of Biomedical Ethics?
How Might the Rights of Patients to an Assisted Death Be Ensured?
How Should Legal Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill be Implemented?
How should the patient's quality of life be considered?
How Would Disadvantaged and Medically Underserved Be Protected?
Introduction
Is an Assisted Death Rational?
Is Assisted Dying the Same as Suicide?
Is Assisted Suicide a Sin?
Is Assisting in a Suicide the Same as Killing?
Medical Futility
Termination of Life-Sustaining Treatment
Then Won't This Lead to Suicide Centers?
What About Surrogate Decision Making?
What if CPR is not futile, but the patient wants a DNR order?
What if the family disagrees with the DNR order?
What if the patient is unable to say what his/her wishes are?
What is the Difference Between Assisted Dying and Euthanasia?
What's the Background on the Slippery Slope Argument?
When can CPR be withheld?
When is CPR not of benefit?
When should CPR be administered?
Why Have Medical Groups Opposed Previous Legislation?
Will Legalization Result in a Duty By Physicians to Assist in a Death?
Would Legalized Aid in Dying Damage the Physician-Patient Relationship?
Would Legalized Aid in Dying Undermine Public Trust in Physicians?
Would Legalized Assisted Dying Be Better Than the Current Practice?
Wouldn't Legalized Assisted Dying Lead to Abuse?
If CPR is deemed 'futile'; should a DNR order be written?
What about 'slow codes'?
When is CPR 'futile'?

Advanced Directives

Are advance directives legally binding?
Are there some questions that I could use for advance care planning?
As a trainee, should I do advance care planning with my patients?
How can I raise these issues without scaring patients?
How is advance care planning different from advance directives?
How should a physician interpret a patient's advance directive?
How should I advise a patient if he believes that some family members will disagree with his wishes?
How should I advise a patient if she doesn't have anyone to name as a proxy?
Test question
What are advance directives?
What are the goals and expected outcomes of advance care planning?
What are the limitations of living wills?
What if a patient changes his or her mind?
What if the family disagrees with a patient's living will?
What is Advance Care Planning?
What types of advance directives are currently available?
When and where should I initiate advance care planning?
When should a patient inform his or her physician about an advance directive?
When should a physician refer to a patient's advance directive?
Who should I approach for advance care planning?
Why are advance directives important to medical care?

Assisted Suicide

Is PAS illegal?
Is physician-assisted suicide ethical?
Is physician-assisted suicide the same as euthanasia?
What are the arguments against PAS?
What are the arguments in favor of PAS?
What do patients and the general public think of PAS?
What does the medical profession think of PAS?
What if the request persists?
What is Physician-assisted suicide (PAS)?
What should a physician do if a patient asks him or her for assistance in suicide?

DNR - Questions & Answers for Patients

How should quality of life be considered?
If CPR is deemed 'futile' should a DNR order be written?
What about 'slow codes'?
What if CPR is not futile, but you want a DNR order?
What if the family disagrees with the DNR order?
What if the patient is unable to say what his/her wishes are?
What is a 'Do-Not-Resuscitate' (DNR) Order?
When can CPR be withheld?
When is CPR 'futile'?
When is CPR not of benefit?
When should CPR be administered?

Medical Futility

Do different standards apply to withholding and withdrawing care?
Does depression or other history of mental illness mean a patient has impaired decision making capacity?
Does the patients have to be terminally ill to refuse treatment?
How do I know if the treatment is no longer "of benefit?"
Introduction
Is a psychiatry consult required to determine decision making capacity?
Is it justifiable to withhold or withdraw care because of costs?
Is it justifiable to withhold or withdraw food or fluids?
What are the ethical obligations of physicians when an intervention is clearly futile?
What if I'm not sure if the patient is competent?
What if the patient is not competent?
What if the patient or family requests an intervention that the health care team considers futile?
What is the difference between futility and rationing?
When is it justifiable to discontinue life-sustaining treatments?
Who decides when a particular treatment is futile?