Which statement best reflects end-of-life rights?

• A. The patient or parents have a right to have or withhold life-sustaining treatment.
• B. The clinician can unilaterally decide to discontinue care.
• C. Life-sustaining care must always be provided.
• D. End-of-life decisions require a court order.

Answer: (A)

Autonomy in end-of-life care means that patients— or parents acting as surrogate decision-makers for a child—have the right to accept or refuse life-sustaining treatments and to guide when to start, continue, or stop such care. This principle supports informed decision-making, where the care plan aligns with the patient’s values, goals, and understanding of prognosis.

Therefore, the statement that best reflects end-of-life rights is that the patient or parents have the right to have or withhold life-sustaining treatment. This acknowledges that decisions about starting or stopping treatments like CPR, ventilators, or feeding tubes should be based on the patient’s preferences and the likely benefit versus burden of treatment.

Unilaterally discontinuing care without input from the patient or surrogate is not appropriate, since end-of-life decisions are shared decisions grounded in the patient’s goals. Life-sustaining care does not have to be provided in every situation; it may be withheld or withdrawn if it does not align with the patient’s goals or offers no meaningful benefit. Requiring a court order for end-of-life decisions is usually unnecessary, except in rare disputes or when there is no clear surrogate or capacity to decide.