英国放弃医护植物人合法化 家属同意后可停止供食

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，英国最高法院作出裁决，放弃对植物人的护理将不再需要法律许可。

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

只要家属和医生达成一致，医护人员就可以移除进食管，无需申请保护法庭的同意。

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.

一些专家认为，此前法律规定，医生必须获得法庭批准才能移除病人的进食管，这导致人们对植物人生命保障的投入时间超过了必要限度。

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".

英国运动团体Compassion in Dying的首席执行官莎拉·伍顿表示，这项裁决是“迈向更明确、更以人为本的临终关怀的有益的一步”。

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

这项裁决会对拥有植物人至亲的数千个家庭产生影响。

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

英国目前约有2.4万人处于“持续性植物”状态或“最低限度意识”状态。