Hong Kong legislation on advance medical directives will provide clarity and reassurance
- A comprehensive publicity drive is needed to ensure greater community awareness by the time the new legislation comes into effect
A lack of public awareness was, for almost 20 years, cited as a reason for delaying the passing of a law giving legal status to advance medical directives.
These documents allow terminally ill patients to reject certain treatments as the end of their life nears. Now, such legislation is being scrutinised by lawmakers and is expected to be passed this year.
It is welcome and long overdue. The law is needed to provide clarity and reassurance for patients, their families and medical health professionals.
Even when passed, it will not come into operation for 18 months to allow the healthcare sector time to prepare for the changes. That period also is intended to be used for public education and promotion of the new laws.
Publicity, despite years of discussion since an initial Law Reform Commission report in 2006, is still required.
Awareness of advance directives, prohibiting treatments such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or artificial ventilation, has grown over the years.