'Distinct from euthanasia' bill passes

Stacy Shi

The Legislative Council has passed the Advance Decision on Life-sustaining Treatment Bill after its third reading yesterday.

Legco member and former chaplain of St John's Cathedral Peter Koon Ho-ming, said: "Those who truly understand the meaning of life will ensure that even short lives are lived with quality."

The bill permits mentally capable patients aged 18 and above to create advance directives that refuse life-sustaining treatments - such as ventilators, blood transfusions, cardiac medications, chemotherapy, and antibiotics - under specific circumstances.

Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau described this legislative move as particularly significant, marking a milestone in the evolution of end-of-life care services in Hong Kong.

"This will allow terminally ill patients to complete their life journeys with dignity and enjoy greater autonomy in their final days," he said, adding that the bill is distinct from euthanasia.

Lo also said that a transitional period of 18 months would be established for medical institutions and related organizations to revise their guidelines and train frontline staff accordingly.

Legco member Rebecca Chan Hoi-yan said the dignity of patients is a core value in the medical and nursing fields.

She praised the legislative amendments for respecting the wishes of patients and needs while also protecting health-care workers in their duties.

However, Chan urged authorities to enhance public education and awareness during the 18-month transitional period to help the community overcome the traditional taboo surrounding discussions of death.