'Round-table' ethical debate: Is a suicide note an authoritative 'living will'?
DOI
10.1186/cc1010
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Date
7-10-2001
Publication Title
Critical Care
Volume
5
Issue
3
First Page
115
Last Page
124
ISSN
13648535
Keywords
Advance directives, Autonomy, Critical care, Living wills, Medical ethics, Suicide
Abstract
Living wills are often considered by physicians who are faced with a dying patient. Although popular with the general public, they remain problems of authenticity and authority. It is difficult for the examining physician to know whether the patient understood the terms of the advance directive when they signed it, and whether they still consider it authoritative at the time that it is produced. Also, there is little consensus on what spectrum of instruments constitutes a binding advance directive in real life. Does a 'suicide note' constitute an authentic and authoritative 'living will'? Our panel of authorities considers this problem in a round-table discussion.
Open Access
Gold
Repository Citation
Chalfin, D., Crippen, D., Franklin, C., Kelly, D., Kilcullen, J., Streat, S., Truog, R., & Whetstine, L. (2001). 'Round-table' ethical debate: Is a suicide note an authoritative 'living will'?. Critical Care, 5 (3), 115-124. https://doi.org/10.1186/cc1010