The Texas Advance Directives Act--is it a good model?

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Seminars in perinatology

Abstract

The Texas Advance Directives Act was first passed in 1999 to help resolve conflicts between families and physicians when disagreements exist over continuing or halting treatments of patients. When the physician feels that continued treatment is ethically or morally unjustified and seeks to end life support for a patient against the wishes of the family, it establishes a specific path that must be followed to afford legal protection to the physician and institution. Its proponents believe that it reduces morally unjustifiable treatment of terminal patients, while its opponents argue that it places too much power in the hands of physicians and institutions. This review analyzes both sides of the argument, gives 2 examples of its application, and concludes that it is a good model but requires modification to correct some flaws.

First Page

384

Last Page

90

DOI

10.1053/j.semperi.2009.07.006

Publication Date

12-1-2009

Identifier

19914523 (pubmed); 10.1053/j.semperi.2009.07.006 (doi); S0146-0005(09)00063-9 (pii)

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