Supreme Court Mentions Stephen Hawking During Hearing On 'Living Will'
NDTV
The Supreme Court said that it is for the legislature to enact a law for terminally ill patients choosing to stop treatment but agreed to modify its 2018 guidelines on "living will".
Eminent astrophysicist Stephen Hawking and former Formula 1 racer Michael Schumacher found mention in the Supreme Court which was hearing a matter on "living will", an advance medical directive on end of life treatment.
A five-judge constitution bench headed by Justice K M Joseph said it is for the legislature to enact a law for terminally ill patients choosing to stop treatment but agreed to modify its 2018 guidelines on "living will".
He said if a person signs an advance directive before being affected with the disease, there may be chances that there are huge advancements in the field of medical sciences sometimes later and the disease becomes curable.
During the hearing, Justice Anirudhha Bose said, "If you follow the life of Stephen Hawking. At a very early age there was a prediction." Hawking, who died on March 14, 2018, was also a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and his long survival after diagnosis has been a source of speculation.
