GMC challenges court ruling on end of life decisions

doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7501.1165

BMJ 2005;330:1165 (21 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7501.1165

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GMC challenges court ruling on end of life decisions

Clare Dyer, legal correspondent

BMJ

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The General Medical Council went to the Court of Appeal in Londonthis week to try to overturn a landmark high court ruling. Theruling had declared that parts of the council's guidance todoctors on withholding and withdrawing life prolonging treatmentwere unlawful.

Leslie Burke fears that when he losesthe power to communicate, doctors might decide not to provide artificial nutrition

Credit: ANDREW PARSONS/PA/EMPICS

Last July, Leslie Burke, who is 45 years old and has cerebralataxia, won the ruling, which was hailed as a breakthrough forthe rights of vulnerable patients ( BMJ 2004;329: 309[Free Full Text]). MrBurke, who is in a wheelchair, went to court because he fearedthat when he loses the power to swallow and to communicate,doctors might decide not to provide artificial nutrition andhydration, leaving him to die of thirst and starvation.

Mr Justice Munby, who delivered the . . . [Full text of this article]

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