Advance Medical Directive

If one day you find yourself terminally ill and needing life support to survive, would you want your doctors to turn off the machine? Some people may prefer to go naturally and in peace, while others may not want to burden their family with a mountain of medical bills to settle.

If your answer is "yes", you may consider doing an Advance Medical Directive (AMD).

An AMD is a legal document that you sign when you're still mentally sound, informing your doctor that you do not want the use of any "extraordinary life-sustaining treatment" to prolong your life in the event that you become terminally ill and unconscious.

An AMD is not the same as "euthanasia", because an AMD involves stopping artificial life-sustaining support in a situation where there is no real possibility of recovery and death is imminent. It can only come into force when three doctors unanimously certify a patient's terminal illness.

An AMD is a voluntary and confidential decision, and must not be made against your will (your mind, not the document). Anyone who is aged 21 years and above and of sound mind can make an AMD. It must be signed in the presence of two witnesses, one of whom must be a doctor.

It can be revoked at any time in the presence of at least one witness, either by completing the prescribed form, or orally if a person is unable to write.

AMD can help to ease the suffering of the patient and reduces the financial costs for the family.

To do your AMD, you can visit www.moh.gov.sg/policies-and-legislation/advance-medical-directive to download the AMD form or visit any medical clinic, polyclinic, or hospital.