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Review
. 2018 Dec;9(6):759-769.
doi: 10.1007/s41999-018-0121-8. Epub 2018 Oct 29.

Who gets to decide for the older patient with a limited decision-making capacity: a review of surrogacy laws in the European Union

Loredana Tibullo  1 , Antonio M Esquinas  2 , Maria Vargas  3 , Andrea Fabbo  4 , Filomena Micillo  5 , Anna Parisi  6 , Nicola Vargas  5
Affiliations
Review

Who gets to decide for the older patient with a limited decision-making capacity: a review of surrogacy laws in the European Union

Loredana Tibullo et al. Eur Geriatr Med. 2018 Dec.

Abstract

Family members of older incompetent patients are increasingly playing an essential role in the decision-making process relating to medical treatment. Furthermore, rights of patients and carers and the extent of their legal involvement vary widely across the European Union. Starting with an illustrative case within the Italian legal framework, this review focuses on statutory laws in the European Union to analyse the role and the rights of surrogates on behalf of older incompetent patients. The authors have identified two main essential areas of surrogate's law in Europe, in the absence of the advance directives: the role of family members automatically accepted as surrogates by law and a legal representative appointed by a court.

Keywords: Competence; Decision making-capacity; European Union; Informed consent; Older patients; Surrogates.

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