Advance Decision on Life-sustaining Treatment Ordinance

Hong Kong's Advance Decision on Life-sustaining Treatment Ordinance, which formally empowers individuals to specify in advance which life-sustaining treatments they wish to refuse when terminally ill, is set to take effect soon. This legislation marks a significant step in formalizing end-of-life care arrangements. From next Friday, Hongkongers will be able to upload these directives to the city's electronic health record (eHealth) platform. While the law aims to provide clarity and autonomy, medical professionals have raised concerns about the potential for split-second decisions and the operational challenges of interpreting these directives in critical situations. The ordinance's implementation is highly relevant as it addresses a long-standing need for formal end-of-life planning, offering a legal framework for patients' wishes to be respected.