Porter Deborah
J Law Med. 2005 Nov;13(2):256-70.
With advances in medical technology, it is now possible to sustain the life of a person in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) until a decision is made to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatment. Who makes that decision? Under the Medical Treatment Act 1988 (Vic) there is no legally enforceable right for a person to choose, in advance, what intervention that person will and will not accept if he or she ends up in a PVS. The best that can be achieved is that a person can appoint an agent who is empowered to refuse medical treatment on the person's behalf in the event of incompetence. It is suggested that this mechanism ignores two fundamental human rights: self-determination and the inherent right to dignity. This article proposes the development of an advance directive mechanism that provides for a person to refuse, in advance, specified intervention, thereby respecting fundamental human rights and alleviating the existing need for an agent to second-guess a person's desires and best interests.
随着医学技术的进步，现在有可能维持处于持续性植物状态（PVS）的人的生命，直到做出停止或撤销维持生命治疗的决定。由谁来做出这个决定呢？根据1988年《维多利亚州医疗法案》，一个人没有法律上可强制执行的权利提前选择如果他或她最终处于持续性植物状态将接受和不接受何种干预措施。所能做到的最好情况是，一个人可以指定一名代理人，该代理人有权在其无行为能力的情况下代表其拒绝医疗治疗。有人认为这种机制忽视了两项基本人权：自决权和固有的尊严权。本文提议建立一种预先指示机制，规定一个人可以提前拒绝特定的干预措施，从而尊重基本人权，并缓解目前代理人猜测一个人的愿望和最佳利益的必要性。
