英國放棄醫護植物人合法化 家屬同意後可停止供食大綱

Legal permission will no longer be needed to withdraw treatment from patients in permanent vegetative state, the UK's Supreme Court has ruled.

近日，英國最高法院作出裁決，放棄對植物人的護理將不再需要法律許可。

When families and doctors are in agreement, medical staff will be able to remove feeding tubes without applying to the Court of Protection.

只要家屬和醫生達成一致，醫護人員就可以移除進食管，無需申請保護法庭的同意。

Some experts believe previous laws that doctors must seek the approval of a court to remove sustenance from a patient have resulted in individuals spending longer on life support in a vegetative state than was necessary.

一些專家認爲，此前法律規定，醫生必須獲得法庭批准才能移除病人的進食管，這導致人們對植物人生命保障的投入時間超過了必要限度。

Sarah Wootton, chief executive of the campaign group Compassion in Dying, said the ruling was "a helpful step towards a clearer, more person-centred view of end-of-life care".

英國運動團體Compassion in Dying的首席執行官莎拉·伍頓表示，這項裁決是“邁向更明確、更以人爲本的臨終關懷的有益的一步”。

The ruling could have an impact on the thousands of families whose loved ones are in a vegetative state.

這項裁決會對擁有植物人至親的數千個家庭產生影響。

There are about 24,000 people in Britain in a "persistent vegetative" or "minimally conscious" state.

英國目前約有2.4萬人處於“持續性植物”狀態或“最低限度意識”狀態。