Advance directives

Advance directives enable a doctor to know the wishes of a patient suffering from a serious terminal illness, particularly cancer, in the event that the patient is unable to express them at the end of life. These wishes may concern, for example:

• Limiting or stopping current treatments;
• Transfer to intensive care or artificial respiration;
• Relieving suffering.

Three conditions must be met for advance directives to be taken into account:

• The patient must be over 18 years of age;
• The document must be handwritten by the patient, indicating his or her surname, first name, date and place of birth, dated and signed;

• The author of the document must be in a condition to express his or her free and informed wishes at the time of writing (provisions are made for patients who are unable to write).

  Advance directives are valid indefinitely, but may be amended or canceled at any time.