Andalucía has a ‘dignified death’ law

ANDALUCÍA The Official Bulletin of Andalucía (BOJA) published a law called The Rights and Guarantees of People Facing the Process of Death (Ley de Derechos y Garantías de las Personas ante el Proceso de la Muerte) that sets down the right to receive, or not, true and comprehensible clinical information regarding his or her diagnosis and prognosis. The idea is to help the patient to make cogent decisions. The law also establishes the right to reject or stop treatment even though this may endanger his or her life. Very similar to the DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) regulations in the US. In addition, it states that the patient has the right to seek pain management treatment and palliative sedation if needed, while at the same time guaranteeing integrated palliative care at home, to be delivered proportionate to need and under the directions of a physician and as long as it is advisable by the doctor. (More detailed articles on this subject, including 'How to Make a Living Will in Spain', will soon be available on SpainInformer.com)