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What it is

Rights of people at the end of life: proposed law

Admitted step 2 of 7 · Unfinished

It is a members’ bill. Introduced by parliamentary groups, the Senate, regional governments or citizens. It was introduced on 7 February 2017. Introduced by: Grupo Parlamentario Socialista.

Official title: Private member's bill regulating the rights of the person in the final stage of life.

Follow this law

Source: Congreso de los Diputados, file 122/000067· updated 11 Nov

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

  1. The bill would regulate the rights of people at the end of their life and guarantee full respect for their wishes when making health care decisions. It would also set duties for health professionals and public authorities.
  2. It would apply throughout Spain, in both public and private health care, and also to insurance companies and mutual societies offering related services in Spain.
  3. Patients could refuse treatments, including life support, even if that shortens their life. Refusing would not reduce the care given to relieve pain and suffering.
  4. Any adult could state in advance, through prior instructions, what care they want to receive, and appoint a representative. These instructions could be freely changed or revoked.
  5. The bill would recognize the right to quality palliative care, to palliative sedation even if it shortens life, to company and a final farewell, to spiritual care, and to a single hospital room.
  6. Health professionals would have to respect the patient's wishes and adjust treatment efforts to the patient's condition, avoiding useless interventions. If they follow the patient's lawful wishes, they would not be held liable.

Who it affects

  • People with a terminal illness or in agony: They would have recognized rights over their health care, pain relief, and respect for their decisions.
  • Family members and close relations: They could receive information, accompany the patient, and act as representatives if the patient cannot decide.
  • Health professionals: They would be required to respect the patient's wishes and would be protected if they act according to the law.
  • Health administrations: They would have to guarantee these rights, inform the public about prior instructions, and make their registry and consultation easier.

Words worth knowing

Instrucciones previas (prior instructions)
A document in which a person states in writing, in advance, what care and treatments they do or do not want if they later cannot decide for themselves.
Cuidados paliativos (palliative care)
Comprehensive care for patients whose illness no longer responds to curative treatment: pain control plus psychological, social, and spiritual support.
Sedación paliativa (palliative sedation)
Giving drugs to reduce the patient's consciousness in order to relieve suffering that cannot be controlled any other way.
Adecuación del esfuerzo terapéutico (adjusting therapeutic effort)
Withdrawing, adjusting, or not starting treatments when they are no longer useful, keeping only the care that relieves.
Obstinación terapéutica (therapeutic obstinacy)
Keeping up treatments with no real benefit that only prolong biological life with no chance of improvement. The text calls it bad practice.

It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries

Where it stands

How far did it get?

It took 2 of 7 steps. It reached Admitted, and today it is unfinished.

  1. Introduced7 February 2017Someone registers the text in the Congreso.
  2. Admitted14 February 2017The Bureau of the Congreso accepts it and, for a members’ bill, the plenary decides whether to consider it.
  3. Amendmentsnot reachedGroups propose changes.
  4. Committeenot reachedA committee goes through the text in detail.
  5. Plenarynot reachedAll 350 deputies vote.
  6. Senatenot reachedThe Senate can pass it, amend it or veto it.
  7. BOEnot reachedIt is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and comes into force.
See the 6 official steps on a timeline
Dec 2017Dec 201811. 7 February 2017: Presentación22. 14 February 2017: Boletín Oficial de las Cortes Generales Publicación desde 14/02/2017 hasta 17/02/201733. 14 February 2017: Calificación44. 17 February 2017: Gobierno Contestación desde 17/02/2017 hasta 27/03/201755. 27 March 2017: Pleno Toma en consideración desde 27/03/2017 hasta 05/03/201966. 5 March 2019: Concluido - (Caducado) desde 05/03/2019 hasta 27/03/2019

Was there a plenary vote?

We have no plenary vote linked to this law in the Congreso’s data.

What happens next

What happens now?

The legislature ended before it finished. To go on, someone would have to introduce it again in the new Cortes.

It has not been presented again yet.

Presented before in:

Sources

Where does all this come from?

  • The data comes from the open files of the Congreso, the Senate and the BOE, unaltered.
  • Each deputy’s province is the one of their seat on the day of the vote.
  • We only say “passed” or “rejected” when the majority needed is certain; otherwise we say which side had more votes.

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