In his address to the European members of the World Medical Association in November 2017, Pope Francis made a statement emphasizing the importance of having a conversation to determine the appropriate treatments for patients near the end of life and that there is no requirement that every means available must be used to prolong their lives. Read here for more information:
POLST Philosophical Principles
Articles
Cataldo PJ and EL Bedford. 2015. Prospective Medical-Moral Decision Making. The National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly 15(1):53-61 Read here (limited access)
From the Catholic Health Association of the United States:
- 2013: Tom Nairn, OFM, Ph.D. The POLST Paradigm Form: Facts and Analysis
- 2013: Amy Vandenbroucke, JD POLST Q&A
- 2013: Fr. Thomas Nairn, OFM, Ph.D., Ethics - POLST: A Portable Plan for Care
- 2012: Reflections on the Use of the POLST Paradigm
- 2012: Ron Hamel, Ph.D. POLST Under Fire
- 2011: Rev. John Tuohey, Ph.D. and Marian O. Hodges, MD, End of Life: POLST Reflects Patient Wishes, Clinical Reality
- 2010: Ethical Currents: POLST
- 2007: Jim Shaw, MMD POLST: Honoring Wishes at the End of Life
Resources
Advance Directives: Expressing Your Health Care Wishes
The Catholic Health Association of the United States released this guide on advance care planning that provides a clear explanation of advance directives and their importance in ensuring that patients receive wanted treatment, and emphasizes that all adults should have an advance directive. In addition, the guide explains Catholic teaching on advance directives and provides step-by-step advice for individuals who are interested in recording their wishes.
Along with advance directives, the guide provides information on the POLST process. There is an explanation on the differences between POLST forms and advance directives, as well as an explanation of Catholic perspectives on POLST. Critically, the guide states that the POLST form and process are consistent with Catholic moral teachings.