The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Tuesday that 43 terminally-ill patients have willingly stopped or refused life-sustaining treatments during the government’s three-month pilot project to prepare for the “well-dying” law. The law is to take effect on Feb. 4.

■Related: 7 terminally ill patients die under ‘Well-Dying Law’

A total of 94 patients signed a life-sustaining treatment plan that stated their intention to refuse or suspend life-sustaining treatment since Oct. 23, when the pilot project launched at 10 medical institutions, the ministry said.

Additionally, more than 9,000 adults over 19 years of age signed an advance statement of intent to choose “death with dignity,” terminating life-sustaining treatment and hospice care upon a terminal diagnosis.

More than 90 terminal patients have stated their intent to refuse or suspend life-sustaining treatment under the government’s pilot project to prepare the “well-dying” law, which takes effect on Feb. 4.

Life-sustaining treatments refer to cardiopulmonary resuscitation, artificial respiration, hemodialysis, and anticancer drugs administered to terminal patients.

Under the law from Feb. 4, terminal patients can refuse or stop treatment if they express written intent to suspend life-sustaining therapy to their doctor.

Patients who cannot otherwise express their intent can suspend treatment after the doctor obtains the consent from two or more family members.

The ministry noted that it would publish the final report and analysis of the pilot project next week.

yjc@docdocdoc.co.kr

<© Korea Biomedical Review, All rights reserved.>