This volume gives an overview on the currently debated ethical issues regarding advance directives from an international perspective. It focuses on a wider understanding of the known and widely accepted concept of patient self-determination for future situations. Although advance directives have been widely discussed since the 1980s, the ethical bases of advance directives still remain a matter of heated debates. The book aims to contribute to these controversial debates by integrating fundamental ethical issues on advance directives with practical matters of their implementation. Cultural, national and professional differences in how advance directives are understood by health care professions and by patients, as well as in laws and regulations, are pinpointed.
"Editors Peter Lack, Nikola Biller-Andorno, and Susanne Brauer have put together a wonderful compendium of information in Advance Directives. It is a must for any library that carries information on advance directives and for anyone seeking comprehensive discussion on the topic." (The Linacre Quarterly, Vol. 85 (3), August, 2018)
From the book reviews:
"Bringing together discussions of history, validity, scope, relationality, and ethical challenges, this edited volume of 13 essays provides a comprehensive and timely examination of advance directives. ? Intended for healthcare professionals and scholars, this book may be useful for anyone who deals with advance directives, either in studies or in practice. Students and clinicians whose work includes advance care planning may find this of particular interest." (Kathryn E. Raliski, Doody's Book Reviews, October, 2014)
"I found this book, with contributors from Europe, the United States and Great Britain, to be an interesting, informative, and readable review. As all the issues around the validity and implementation of advance directives evolve, I feel that people who work in palliative care have an obligation to be informed, both to promote patient autonomy and to spare some the pain and suffering and cost of futile therapy. This book will help you focus on the issues." (News Letter - IAHPC book reviews, Vol. 15 (4), April, 2014)
