Vermont Statutes Title 18 Sec. 9715
Terms Used In Vermont Statutes Title 18 Sec. 9715
- Advance directive: means a written record executed pursuant to section 9703 of this title, which may include appointment of an agent, identification of a preferred primary care clinician, instructions on health care desires or treatment goals, an anatomical gift, disposition of remains, and funeral goods and services. See
- Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
- Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
- Life sustaining treatment: means any medical intervention, including nutrition and hydration administered by medical means and antibiotics, which is intended to extend life and without which the principal or patient is likely to die. See
- Principal: means an adult who has executed an advance directive. See
§ 9715. Interpretation with other laws
(a) The withholding or withdrawal of life sustaining treatment from a principal who has executed an advance directive limiting the provision of life sustaining treatment shall not be construed as a suicide.
(b) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to limit or abrogate an individual’s ability to create a document of anatomical gift pursuant to chapter 110 of this title.
(c) Nothing in this chapter shall be interpreted to affect the statutory or common law in existence at the time of enactment applicable to death intentionally hastened through the use of prescription medication. Professionally appropriate use of medication to relieve suffering which may have the unintended effect of hastening death is not death intentionally hastened through the use of prescription medication.
(d) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to limit the effect of a DD Form 93 (Record of Emergency Data) properly executed by a current or former member of the armed forces of the United States described in 10 U.S.C. § 1481(a). (Added 2005, No. 55, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2005; amended 2009, No. 119 (Adj. Sess.), § 6; 2011, No. 80 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. April 13, 2012.)