An emerging consensus

Concerns about quality of life first surfaced in the public debate as a
basis for limiting medical interventions. As physicians became capable
of indefinitely sustaining the mere biological functioning of individuals
who had lost (or appeared to have lost) all capacity for consciousness, a
sharp controversy emerged in the 1970s over whether continued health
intervention was an appropriate use of health care resources, especially
when it went against the previously expressed wishes of the patient or
the current wishes of the family. An emerging consensusAn emerging consensus that the patient
herself should make that decision whenever possible was reflected in
the development of standardized living wills, medical powers of attorney,
and do-not-resuscitate orders. This consensus has not reached two
controversial areas: physician assistance in bringing about death sought
by competent individuals hoping to avoid a continued existence with
chronic impairment or pain, and the withdrawal of life support sought
“on behalf” of cognitively incapacitated patients who have left no written
instructions (for a summary of, and comprehensive references on,
these debates, sce Battin, 2003).