Press Releases

Introduction of the Concept of Advance Directives Consultation Paper Published

The Food and Health Bureau today (December 23) published the Introduction of the Concept of Advance Directives Consultation Paper to consult the healthcare and legal professions, patient groups, stakeholders such as non-governmental organisations providing healthcare and related services for patients as well as other sectors in the community.

The consultation period will last for three months until 22 March 2010.

The consultation paper is published in response to the recommendations of the Law Reform Commission��s Report on Substitute Decision-making and Advance Directives in relation to Medical Treatment, with an aim to seek views from different sectors in the society on whether the concept of advance directives should be introduced in Hong Kong.

The consultation paper also seeks to collect views from different sectors on the following:
(a) procedures for making, altering and revoking advance directives;
(b) content of the information package on advance directives for the public; and
(c) the need to promulgate any guidelines for handling advance directives.

A spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau said that the purpose of making an advance directive is to allow a mentally competent individual to indicate the form of healthcare treatment he would like to receive, including the refusal of treatment that merely sustains the body functions, when he is no longer mentally competent (for example. when he is terminally ill, in a coma etc.).

The concept of advance directives has already been adopted in many countries, such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Singapore.

Advance directives allow doctors and family members to recognise the patients�� wish with certainty, thus minimising conflicts between the two sides over the appropriate form of medical treatment for the patients. This can help releasing the burden of both parties in deciding whether life-sustaining treatments should be maintained or withdrawn.

��After consulting different sectors and parties in the community, we will prepare an information package on advance directives for public use and will hold further discussion on the required guidelines or procedures with the relevant professions,�� the spokesman said.

The consultation paper can be downloaded from the Food and Health Bureau��s website (www.fhb.gov.hk).

Ends/Wednesday, 23 December 2009