Is artificially administered nutrition and hydration specifically addressed in the legislation?
Yes, the Missouri Declaration limits your right to refuse treatment by not allowing you to refuse artificial nutrition and hydration. However, your attorney-in-fact can refuse artificially administered nutrition and hydration on your behalf only if you specifically grant such authority in your Durable Power of Attorney. But, artificially supplied nutrition and hydration is not required to be continued when, in the medical judgment of the attending physician, the patient cannot tolerate it. No attorney-in-fact may, with the intent of causing the death of the patient, authorize the withdrawal of nutrition or hydration which the patient may ingest through natural means. Before your attorney-in-fact may authorize the withdrawal of nutrition or hydration, a physician must provide you with the opportunity to refuse the withdrawal of nutrition and hydration by attempting to explain the consequences of having artificial sustenance withdrawn or certify in writing (and make the certification par
