Title 7 — Human Health Care and Safety.
61 chapters · 896 sections in this title.
D.C. Code § 7-601 Standard
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An individual who has sustained either: (1) irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions; or (2) irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brain stem; is dead. A determination of death must be made in accordance with accepted me…
D.C. Code § 7-621 Definitions
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For the purposes of this subchapter, the term: (1) “Attending physician” means the physician selected by, or assigned to, the patient who has primary responsibility for the treatment and care of the patient. (2) “Declaration” means a witnessed document in writing, voluntarily exe…
D.C. Code § 7-622 Declaration — Execution; form
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(a) Any persons 18 years of age or older may execute a declaration directing the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures from themselves should they be in a terminal condition. The declaration made pursuant to this subchapter shall be: (1) In writing; (2) Signed b…
D.C. Code § 7-623 Declaration — Restrictions
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A declaration shall have no effect if the declarant is a patient in an intermediate care or skilled care facility as defined in the Health Care Facilities Regulation, enacted June 14, 1974 (Reg. 74-15; 20 DCR 1423 ) at the time the declaration is executed unless 1 of the 2 witnes…
D.C. Code § 7-624 Declaration — Revocation
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(a) A declaration may be revoked at any time only by the declarant or at the express direction of the declarant, without regard to the declarant’s mental state by any of the following methods: (1) By being obliterated, burnt, torn, or otherwise destroyed or defaced by the declara…
D.C. Code § 7-625 Physician’s duty to confirm terminal condition
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(a) An attending physician who has been notified of the existence of a declaration executed under this subchapter, without delay after the diagnosis of a terminal condition of the declarant, shall take the necessary steps to provide for written certification and confirmation of t…
D.C. Code § 7-626 Competency and intent of declarant
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(a) The desires of a qualified patient shall at all times supersede the effect of the declaration. (b) If the qualified patient is incompetent at the time of the decision to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining procedures, a declaration executed in accordance with § 7-622 is pres…
D.C. Code § 7-627 Extent of medical liability; transfer of patient; criminal offenses
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(a) No physician, licensed health care professional, health facility, or employee thereof who in good faith and pursuant to reasonable medical standards causes or participates in the withholding or withdrawing of life-sustaining procedures from a qualified patient pursuant to a d…
D.C. Code § 7-628 Exclusion of suicide; effect of declaration upon issuance
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(a) The withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures from a qualified patient in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter shall not, for any purpose, constitute a suicide and shall not constitute the crime of assisting suicide. (b) The making of a declaration …
D.C. Code § 7-629 Preservation of existing rights
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(a) Nothing in this subchapter shall impair or supersede any legal right or legal responsibility which any person may have to effect the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures in any lawful manner. In such respect the provisions of this subchapter are cumulative.…
D.C. Code § 7-630 Effect of subchapter
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Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to condone, authorize, or approve mercy-killing or to permit any affirmative or deliberate act or omission to end a human life other than to permit the natural process of dying as provided in this subchapter.