New York's Health Care Proxy

Abstract: A 5 page paper discussing New York's provision for ensuring that medically incompetent individuals' wishes are followed in issues of health care when they are unable to communicate those wishes themselves. The law was enacted in 1991, in direct response to the US Supreme Court's ruling on the Nancy Cruzan case, that of a Missouri woman whose parents petitioned local courts to direct health care professionals to withhold artificial nutrition and hydration measures. The health care proxy allows individuals to assign decision-making responsibilities to an agent, who cannot be sued for decisions made in good faith. Bibliography lists 8 sources.

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Catagory: Disease, Treatment, & Epidemiology

Subcatagory: Medicine, Medical Issues, & Pharmacy

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