Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1991

Abstract

In the decision of the United States Supreme Court in Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health on June 25, 1990, a majority of the Court announced that it will leave to the states the question of what legal requirements may be imposed on decisions to discontinue treatment for incompetent patients.

Almost every state now recognizes some form of written advance directive, be it living wills or appointments of proxy decision-makers. The problem with directives is thus increasingly not legal as much as it is practical: very few people prepare advance directives.

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