Which statement about living wills is true?

• A. They recognize the right to refuse medical treatment.
• B. They authorize physician-assisted suicide.
• C. They require probate of the will.
• D. They require notarization in all cases.

Answer: (A)

Living wills are advance directives that spell out a patient’s preferences for medical treatment when they can’t communicate, especially regarding life-sustaining care. They recognize the patient’s right to refuse such treatment, which is why this statement is true. They do not authorize physician-assisted suicide; their purpose is to guide decisions about continuing or withholding life-sustaining interventions, not to enable aid in dying. They are not probate documents for disposing of property, so they don’t go through probate. And while they need the patient’s signature and are usually witnessed, notarization isn’t required in all cases.