A Living Will sets forth your instructions for dealing with life-sustaining medical procedures in the event you are unable to decide for yourself.

There were no differences in rates of life-sustaining procedures seen among people with or without advance directives, the study showed.

The Act thus provides that an adult may execute a duly witnessed 'directive' in a form laid down, 'directing the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures'.

Medical workers at Scottish Rite described their own anguish at what they said was aggressive and often painful life-sustaining procedures in the face of no possible "meaningful recovery" for the girl.

A duty not to discontinue life-sustaining procedures cannot arise if the procedures instituted have proved to be unsuccessful.

Under New York's law, for example, dying patients on life support, seeking a merciful death, may ask a doctor to terminate life-sustaining procedures, including the provision of food and water.

While always providing comfort measures, they need to consider the circumstances under which aggressive, potentially life-sustaining procedures can be refused or withheld after self-administration of the lethal medication by a terminally-ill person.

The court noted that the Quinlan decision established a procedure in which hospital prognosis committees cooperate with the family and the attending physicians in reaching a decision on the withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures.

First, a competent individual's decision to refuse life-sustaining medical procedures is an aspect of liberty protected by the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment.

Documents which set out guidelines for dealing with life-sustaining medical procedures are under the Provinces' control, in Ontario under the Health Care Consent Act 1996.