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預設醫療指示 – 讓病人預先規劃晚期及臨終治療

「預設醫療指示」(「預設指示」)讓有精神能力就維持生命治療作決定的成年人,預先訂明當其日後喪失該精神能力並符合指示所列的特定臨床情況時,拒絕接受哪些維持生命治療。預設指示既能維護病人的醫療自主權,也可避免病人接受無效或不必要、只會延長死亡過程的治療。香港過往主要依賴普通法處理預設指示。《維持生命治療的預作決定條例》(第651章)(「該條例」)已於2026年7月31日生效,為訂立和執行預設指示,以及簽發不作心肺復甦術命令,建立清晰的法定框架。 甲、預設指示可以涵蓋哪些治療? 根據該條例,訂立者可以拒絕接受一項或多項維持生命治療,即任何有可能延遲死亡的醫療措施,例如心肺復甦術(「CPR」)、人工輔助呼吸、血液製品、心臟起搏器、血管增壓素、化學治療、透析治療、用於可能致命感染的抗生素,以及人工供給營養及液體。 預設指示不能用作拒絕基本照顧(例如向病人口腔提供食物和飲品,以及協助病人進食和飲用)或紓緩治療;亦不會授權任何人施用或處方物質,以終結病人的生命。 乙、預設指示何時適用? 預設指示不會在訂立後立即生效。只有當訂立者已無精神能力就維持生命治療作決定,並且預設指示中選定的一項或多項指明先決條件已經符合時,預設指示才適用。該條例附表2的標準表格涵蓋以下先決條件: (一)  末期疾病:病人患有晚期、持續惡化及不可逆轉的疾病,預期壽命只餘下數日、數星期或數月,而任何形式的維持生命治療只會延遲死亡。 (二)  持續植物人狀態或不可逆轉的昏迷狀態:病人因腦部嚴重受損而持續對自己及周圍事物沒有意識,亦無法對周圍事物作出任何有目的的反應。處於持續植物人狀態的病人仍有清醒狀態及睡眠—覺醒周期;處於不可逆轉昏迷狀態的病人則沒有。無論何種情況,病人均無望恢復相關的意識或清醒狀態。 (三)  其他晚期、不可逆轉的壽命受限疾病:病人所患疾病持續惡化、不可逆轉,已屆晚期並限制其壽命,但不屬上述類別,例如晚期腎衰竭、運動神經元疾病、慢性阻塞性肺病或認知障礙症。 丙、如何訂立預設指示? 政府的標準表格載於該條例附表2,可於醫務衞生局網站下載。訂立者亦可使用非標準表格,但其中的指令必須清晰呈示,並符合所有法定要求。概括而言: 訂立者必須年滿18歲。 訂立者在簽署時必須有精神能力就維持生命治療作決定,即能夠理解、保留、運用或衡量相關資料,並能傳達其決定。 訂立者必須在不少於兩名見證人面前簽署。其中一名見證人必須為香港註冊醫生,另一名則須為成年人;據每名見證人所知,他們均不得是訂立者的利益攸關者。 擔任見證人的註冊醫生須向訂立者解釋預設指示的性質,以及遵從每項指令對訂立者所產生的效果,並須信納訂立者在簽署時具備所需的精神能力。 病人宜在預設照顧計劃的過程中考慮是否訂立預設指示,並與家人及醫護人員充分討論。醫院醫生或熟悉病人病歷和身體狀況的私家註冊醫生,均可協助病人完成相關程序。 丁、如何撤銷預設指示? 按照「慎重訂立、容易撤銷」的原則,只要訂立者仍有精神能力就維持生命治療作決定,便可隨時以下列方式撤銷預設指示: 以書面方式撤銷,不論是紙本或電子形式; 如預設指示採用附表2的標準表格訂立,簽署表格第5部; 親自焚燒或撕毀預設指示,或刪去其內容並在每一頁簽署;訂立者亦可指示一名成年人在其面前代為進行; 在一名或以上成年見證人面前,以口頭或其他方式(例如點頭、搖頭或使用手語)表達撤銷意願; 另行訂立一份新的預設指示;或 親自透過指定電子系統撤銷,或指示一名成年人在其面前代為辦理。 戊、不作心肺復甦術命令 「不作心肺復甦術命令」(「DNACPR命令」)訂明當病人心肺功能停頓時,不得為其進行心肺復甦術。該命令屬臨床決定,只會在病人已達到相關臨床狀況後簽發,讓治療提供者和施救者(包括在醫院以外施救的人士)能夠迅速識別及遵從有關決定。 按預設指示簽發的DNACPR命令,適用於已在預設指示中拒絕接受CPR的成年病人,並須由兩名註冊醫生簽發,其中至少一人須為專科醫生。並非按預設指示簽發的DNACPR命令,則可為未成年人或無精神能力就維持生命治療作決定的成年人簽發;如主診醫生與病人家屬達成共識,認為進行CPR不符合病人的最佳利益,責任人(例如家人或監護人)須加簽命令,以表示同意醫生的判斷。 所有DNACPR命令均須採用該條例附表3的訂明紙本表格以書面簽發;DNACPR命令不設電子版本。在該條例生效前簽發的命令,必須以訂明表格重新簽發,方可繼續有效。 更多資料 醫務衞生局: https://www.healthbureau.gov.hk/cn/press_and_publications/otherinfo/241100_adlto/index.html 賽馬會安寧頌計劃: https://foss.hku.hk/jcecc/publication/維持生命治療的預作決定條例/

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The Court of Final Appeal ruled on the construction of offence disclosing ICAC investigations in HKSAR v Lam Cheuk Ting

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High Court orders Winding Up of Physical Beauty & Fitness

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Celebrating Excellence: John Clancey Ranked by Chambers & Partners Greater China Region Guide 2025

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Court of Final Appeal rules lack of legal framework for recognising same-sex partnerships unconstitutional

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Protective clause for journalists argued for in a Song-banning Injunction Application

Case: Secretary for Justice v. Persons conducting themselves in any of the acts prohibited under paragraph 1(a), (b), (c) or (d) of the Indorsement of Claim [2023] HKCFI 1950 The Secretary for Justice sought for an injunction to prohibit four categories of acts endangering national security in relation to...

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Coroner’s Verdict in the Lamma IV / Sea Smooth Tragedy: 39 Unlawful Killings Found

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Investigative journalist Choy Yuk Ling vindicated at the Court of Final Appeal

In 2020, award-winning investigative journalist Choy Yuk Ling (also known as Bao Choy) was arrested for knowingly making a false statement under the Road Traffic Ordinance. The prosecution alleged that Choy made a false statement when conducting a search of the Transport Department’s public registry of vehicle details. The...

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Leave Granted to appeal to the Court of Final Appeal against the Judgment in [2022] HKCA 1247 on the recognition of overseas same-sex marriages

On 10 November 2022, leave was granted to appeal to the Court of Final Appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal in [2022] HKCA 1247 on the following questions: “1. Whether the exclusion of same-sex couples from the institution of marriage constitutes a violation of the right...

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2 Teens cleared off murder and wounding with intent charge, guilty of rioting

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