459.025. Declaration operative, when. - Missouri Statutes

Declaration operative, when.

459.025. The directions of a declarant able to maketreatment decisions shall at all times supersede the declaration.The declaration shall be given operative effect only if thedeclarant's condition is determined to be terminal and thedeclarant is not able to make treatment decisions. Suchdeterminations shall be recorded in the declarant's medicalrecord. A physician, health care professional or facility orother person shall not act contrary to the declarant's expressedintent to withhold or withdraw death-prolonging procedureswithout serious reason therefor consistent with the best interestof the declarant. Such reason shall be recorded in thedeclarant's medical record. The declaration to withdraw orwithhold treatment by a patient diagnosed as pregnant by theattending physician shall have no effect during the course of thedeclarant's pregnancy.

(L. 1985 S.B. 51 § 4)