Article: Natural Death Acts

Natural Death Acts

Natural Death Acts (also known as Death with Dignity Acts and Living Will Acts) are laws that determine in what situations, and how, people can refuse life-sustaining medical interventions. The purpose of these laws is to permit patients to choose a "natural" death, unencumbered by medical technology. The laws are a response to the great strides made by medical science over the last half of the twentieth century in prolonging the life of the chronically and severely ill. Concerns arose that medical technology that could forestall death, such as respirators and feeding tubes, increased the agony of dying. It also spawned concerns that an individual's right to autonomy ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!