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. 2023 May;27(5):374-376.
doi: 10.5005/jp-journals-10071-24464.

Simplified Legal Procedure for End-of-life Decisions in India: A New Dawn in the Care of the Dying?

Affiliations

Simplified Legal Procedure for End-of-life Decisions in India: A New Dawn in the Care of the Dying?

Raj Kumar Mani et al. Indian J Crit Care Med. 2023 May.

Abstract

Recent amendments to the onerous legal procedure laid down in the Landmark Supreme Court Judgment Common Cause vs The Union of India have aroused widespread interest. The new procedural guidelines of January 2023 appear workable and should ease ethical decision-making toward the end-of-life in India. This commentary provides the backdrop to the evolution of legal provisions for advance directives, withdrawal, and withholding decisions in terminal care.

How to cite this article: Mani RK, Simha S, Gursahani R. Simplified Legal Procedure for End-of-life Decisions in India: A New Dawn in the Care of the Dying? Indian J Crit Care Med 2023;27(5):374-376.

Keywords: Advance care planning; Comfort care; End-of-life care; End-of-life care foregoing of life support; Intensive care unit; Medical ethics; Medico legal issues; Palliative care; Withdrawal and withholding ethics.

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Conflict of interest statement

Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: Dr Raj Kumar Mani is associated as the National Editorial Board member of this journal and this manuscript was subjected to this journal's standard review procedures, with this peer review handled independently of this editorial board member and his research group.

Figures

Flowchart 1
Flowchart 1
Summary of the SC's legal guidelines for decisions to forgo life-sustaining treatment

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