Presumption of nutrition and hydration, when inapplicable.

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A. The presumption pursuant to Section 3080.3 of this title shall not apply if:

1. The attending physician of the incompetent patient knows that the patient, when competent, decided on the basis of information sufficient to constitute informed consent that artificially administered hydration or artificially administered nutrition should be withheld or withdrawn from him;

2. A court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the patient, when competent, decided on the basis of information sufficient to constitute informed consent that artificially administered hydration or artificially administered nutrition should be withheld or withdrawn from him;

3. An advance directive has been executed pursuant to the Oklahoma Natural Death Act specifically authorizing the withholding or withdrawal of nutrition and/or hydration;

4. An advance directive has been executed pursuant to the Oklahoma Rights of the Terminally Ill or Persistently Unconscious Act specifically authorizing the withholding or withdrawal of nutrition and/or hydration;

5. An advance directive for health care has been executed pursuant to the Oklahoma Advance Directive Act specifically authorizing the withholding or withdrawal of nutrition and/or hydration;

6. In the reasonable medical judgment of the incompetent patient's attending physician and a second consulting physician, artificially administered hydration or artificially administered nutrition will itself cause severe, intractable, and long-lasting pain to the incompetent patient or such nutrition or hydration is not medically possible; or

7. In the reasonable medical judgment of the incompetent patient's attending physician and a second consulting physician:

  • a.the incompetent patient is chronically and irreversibly incompetent,
  • b.the incompetent patient is in the final stage of a terminal illness or injury, and
  • c.the death of the incompetent patient is imminent.

B. No advance directive shall be deemed to satisfy the provisions of subsection A of this section unless the advance directive complies with the requirements of Section 3101.4 or Section 3101.14 of this title.

C. Hydration or nutrition may not be withheld or withdrawn pursuant to paragraph 7 of subsection A of this section if this would result in death from dehydration or starvation rather than from the underlying terminal illness or injury.

Added by Laws 1987, c. 40, § 4, eff. Nov. 1, 1987. Amended by Laws 1990, c. 268, § 9, eff. July 1, 1990; Laws 1992, c. 114, § 17, eff. Sept. 1, 1992; Laws 2006, c. 171, § 2, emerg. eff. May 17, 2006.


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