Under the current law, one of four conditions must be met for treatment aimed at prolonging the life of terminally ill patients to be ended. They are: A patient signed a form expressing his wish not to receive life-prolonging treatment while in good health; a terminally ill patient or patient near death gives written consent; the patient previously expressed a wish not to receive such treatment to at least two members of the family; or all family members, including grandchildren and great-grandchildren give consent.

The law on hospice and palliative care and decisions on life-sustaining treatment for patients facing death was enacted in February.

As of Oct. 3, 20,742 patients ended life-sustaining treatment under the law, but only 0.7 percent of the patients said to signed the statement in advance while they were in good health.

Thirty-three of the patients signed the letter of consent while the decision to end life-sustaining treatment was made by family members in 66.3 percent of the patients.

(kairos07@heraldcorp.com)