Legal Definitions - right to refuse treatment

The right to refuse treatment is the right of a person to say no to medical treatment or procedures that they do not want. This includes life-sustaining treatment, which is treatment that keeps a person alive when they cannot do so on their own.

For example, if a person is terminally ill and does not want to be kept alive by machines, they have the right to refuse life-sustaining treatment. This is also known as the right to die. Another example is if a person does not want to undergo a surgery or take medication that they believe will not help them or will make their condition worse.

These examples illustrate how the right to refuse treatment gives individuals control over their own medical care and allows them to make decisions about their own bodies. It is important for individuals to understand their rights and communicate their wishes to their healthcare providers.