Abstract

A Living Will, introduced by Luis Kutner in 1967, enables individuals to specify medical treatment preferences in case they lose decision-making capacity. Landmark cases, such as Karen Ann Quinlan in the U.S. and Aruna Shanbaug in India, significantly influenced legal frameworks on end-of-life decisions. Advanced Directives has gained momentum in hospital set-ups after the decision of the Courts of India in its favour in 2018. Evidence on its use is limited. Advance Directives, including Living Wills and Lasting Power of Attorney, safeguard patient autonomy in terminal care. Legal and medical frameworks, guided by ICMR regulations and Supreme Court rulings, ensure due process through physician validation and Medical Board reviews before execution. Courts may intervene in disputed cases. However, directives may be deemed inapplicable in situations involving potential recovery or ambiguity. Advance Directives play a crucial role in guiding medical decisions for patients in irreversible conditions such as coma, persistent vegetative state, severe brain injury, and advanced dementia.

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