Medical Aspect on the Withdrawal of Life-support Treatments

, Gook Jin Moon

Original Article

Korean Journal of Legal Medicine 1988;12(2):54-59.

Department of Legal Medicine, Korea University, College of Medicine, Institute of Legal Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

The withdrawal of life-support treatments from terminally ill, incompetent patient is controversial from a medical, ethical and legal standpoint, and still remains considerable confusion. The medical tradition has always been to "err on the side of life" when there is any doctor, and "right to die" bills undermine this tradition. The issue of whether to withdraw life-support treatments from a dying patient is hardly a new medical dilemma. However, clinical decision making to remove life-support systems from the terminally ill patient is clearly one of the mandate of the medical profession, therefore, is discussed in this communication about medical indication of the removing of life-support systems, withdrawal manner and informed consent of patient, especially "living will"