Section 2: Expressing the wishes of patients refusing treatment and patients at the end of life

Any person of legal age may draw up advance directives in the event of one day being unable to express his or her wishes. These advance directives express the person’s wishes regarding the end of their life and the conditions for continuing, limiting, stopping or refusing medical treatment or procedures. They can be revised and revoked at any time and by any means. They may be drawn up in accordance…

When a person, in the advanced or terminal phase of a serious and incurable disease, whatever the cause, is incapable of expressing his wishes, the doctor is obliged to enquire about the expression of the patient’s wishes. In the absence of the advance directives referred to in article L. 1111-11, the doctor will obtain the testimony of the trusted support person or, failing this, any other testimony from the family…