A summary of the legal cases that have set precedence for the rights of physicians and surrogates when life-sustaining treatment is withdrawn from patients who cannot make the final decision for themselves.
Physicians should be clear about the difference between palliative sedation and terminal sedation and are urged to thoroughly document their actions to and seek the counsel of experts when sedating a dying patient.
Physicians have a responsibility to practice palliative medicine so they can appropriately care for their dying patients and help them achieve their end-of-life goals.