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Patient with motor neurone disease can be allowed to die, court rules

BMJ 2012; 344 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.e3183 (Published 03 May 2012) Cite this as: BMJ 2012;344:e3183
  1. Clare Dyer
  1. 1BMJ

An advance decision to refuse treatment made by a man with motor neurone disease, who communicated only through eye movements, is valid and his life can “peacefully end,” a judge has ruled at the Court of Protection in London.

Mrs Justice Theis said she was “entirely satisfied” that he had the capacity to take the decision after hearing evidence from doctors, carers, and the man’s wife.

His wife had downloaded an advance decision template from the internet, and the document was read to him last November in the presence of a doctor, his wife, and …

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