La centralità della volontà del paziente incapace in una recente sentenza della Corte di Cassazione

Abstract

A recent judgement by the Court of Cassation about a request – by the legal guardian of an incompetent patient in permanent vegetative state – of suspension of artificial nutrition and hydration, gives important instructions about informed consent, right of self-determination, and right to refuse treatment in competent and incompetent patients, with particular regard to the role of legal guardian and to the validity of advance care directives.