Informed consent: patient may accept or refuse treatment or diagnostic test after learning about anticipated benefits, risks, and alternative options. Patient autonomy requires accurate information about prognosis.

Advance directives: legal documents (living wills) that specify individual’s preferences for end-of-life treatment under specific circumstances. Surrogate decision maker (health care proxy) appointed for possibility that individual may not be competent to make decisions at some future time.

Refusal of life-sustaining treatment: included in doctrine of informed consent (refusal, a decision not to provide consent). When patient loses capacity to make decisions, right to consent or refuse treatment transferred to legally authorized surrogate decision maker. Not necessary to consult lawyer before withdrawing life-sustaining therapy.