Bioethicists' Statement on the U.S. Supreme Court's<i>Cruzan</i>Decision

Annas, George J.; Arnold, Bob; Aroskar, Mila Ann; Battin, Peggy; Bartels, Dianne M.; Beauchamp, Tom; Brock, Daniel; Buchanan, Allen; Caplan, Arthur; Cohen, Cynthia B.; Cranford, Ronald E.; Dresser, Rebecca; Dubler, Nancy Neveloff; Faden, Ruth R.; Fost, Norman; Frader, Joel; Francis, Leslie J.; Grodin, Michael A.; Hackler, Chris; Jennings, Bruce; Lappé, Marc; Macklin, Ruth; Mayo, David J.; Meisel, Alan; Miles, Steven H.; Morreim, Haavi; Nelson, Lawrence J.; Parker, Lisa A.; Pearlman, Robert A.; Self, Donnie J.; Shapiro, Robyn S.; Walters, James; Wear, Stephen; Weir, Robert F.; Wikler, Daniel; Youngner, Stuart J.

doi:10.1056/nejm199009063231020

Cited by 42 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…icists concluded that advance directives, both living wills and durable powers of attorney, may help resolve legally and ethically troubling cases. 1 The Patient Self Determination Act requires that hospitals and other health care agencies provide education to staff and community on issues concerning patients' rights to formulate advance directives (OBRA-90 P.L. 101-508, § 4206).…”

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confidence: 99%

Increasing the use of advance directives in medical outpatients

et al. 1997

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confidence: 99%

Increasing the use of advance directives in medical outpatients

et al. 1997

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“…One of the greatest concerns about the Cruzan decision is the potential to misinterpret or overinterpret its findings. The Cruzan decision should not change clinical practice 17 . The decision did not change any state laws or ethical standards that allow the withdrawal of life‐sustaining treatments.…”

Section: Ramifications and Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical Fallout from the Supreme Court Decision on Nancy Cruzan: Chernobyl or Three Mile Island?

Pearlman

1991

J American Geriatrics Society

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“…Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health (1) is the first &dquo;right to die&dquo; case to be decided by the United States Supreme Court (2). Like the Karen Ann Quinlan case (3) in 1976, Cruzan has sharply focused public attention on patient self-determination.…”

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confidence: 99%

Continuing Problems with Patient Self-Determination

1993

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Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health, the first "right to do die" case to be decided by the United States Supreme Court, constitutionalizes the principle of patient self-determination. The case encourages competent patients to reflect thoughtfully about the possibility that one day they may be incapacitated just as Nancy Beth Cruzan was and to prepare for that possibility by completing an advance directive. Furthermore, the recently enacted Patient Self-Determination Act requires hospitals to ask adult patients upon admission whether they have advance directives. However, a number of practical concerns arise for physicians about operationalizing these patient self-determination principles within their states and their scopes of practice. Will physicians be prosecuted for "assisting suicides" if they withdraw feeding tubes or forgo other life-sustaining treatments? Will physicians be liable in medical malpractice for "undertreatment" or "overtreatment" in such cases? Will physicians be asked to violate their own moral codes in treating patients? Will others intrude into the traditional physician-patient relationship and decision-making process? Will physicians be caught in the middle of troublesome family, staff, and institutional disputes? How will physicians learn of patients' advance directives? Will physicians be asked to continue care in futile cases? Will Cruzan's self-determination doctrine be improperly extended? Successful implementation of patient self-determination principles will require consideration and discussion of these practical physician concerns.

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Bioethicists' Statement on the U.S. Supreme Court'sCruzanDecision

Cited by 42 publications

References 0 publications

Increasing the use of advance directives in medical outpatients

Increasing the use of advance directives in medical outpatients

Clinical Fallout from the Supreme Court Decision on Nancy Cruzan: Chernobyl or Three Mile Island?

Continuing Problems with Patient Self-Determination

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