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The "Right" to refuse treatment.

Benjamin Andoh
Published in: Medicine, science, and the law (2022)
The "right" of an adult patient with capacity to refuse treatment has been very well recognized by the courts over the years. Recently, it was the central issue in this recent case, PH (by his litigation friend, the Official Solicitor) v Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board ([2022] EWCOP 16). This paper briefly reviews the case and goes on to present the author's views on the general "right" to refuse treatment and the meaning of "right" in the expression, "the right to refuse treatment". It then points out other relevant matters worth noting.
Keyphrases
  • healthcare
  • randomized controlled trial
  • systematic review
  • public health
  • mental health
  • poor prognosis
  • risk assessment
  • case report