FS07E - Living Wills

A DAV (Diretiva Antecipada de Vontade) is a formal document, where you can leave your will in relation to the health care you want to receive. This document can be done by Portuguese citizens, nationals, foreigners and stateless persons residing in Portugal, of legal age, who are not legally prohibited or mentally impaired.

Members have asked us how they could register their Will and we have compiled this basic Fact Sheet to help inform you and assist in the implementation of the process. The following document translates the individual information paragraphs and the wording of the separate boxes that are included in the form.

As it is important to ensure that this Fact Sheet imparts the correct and exact information, we have translated these passages verbatim to ensure that the original content did not change. 

A copy of the Portuguese can be found below for download.

First paragraph:

Under and for the purposes provided for in Law no. 25/2012, of July 16, this document reflects my anticipated manifestation of the conscious, free and enlightened will, regarding health care that I wish to receive, or that I do not wish to receive, in case, for any reason, I find myself unable to express my personal and autonomous will.

This document, which I subscribe to being of legal age and capable and not found to be interdicted or disabled by psychic anomaly, is by me unilaterally and freely revocable at any moment. 

• Page 1, 

• Session 1 

Personal Identification (IDENTIFICAÇÃO DO OUTORGANTE)

I want to appoint my Health Care Provider (Pretendo nomear meu Procurador de Cuidados de Saúde) 

• Page 2, 

• Session 1  

I want to appoint my Deputy Health Care Provider (Pretendo nomear meu Procurador de Cuidados de Saúde suplente)

• Session 2 

CLINICAL SITUATION IN WHICH DAV PRODUCES EFFECTS (SITUAÇÃO CLÍNICA EM QUE A DAV PRODUZ EFEITOS)

“When I find myself unable to express my will autonomously, as a consequence of my state of physical and / or mental health, and one or more of the following hypotheses exist:

(please tick X as applicable)

• I have been diagnosed with incurable end-stage disease

• There are no expectations of recovery in the clinical evaluation made by members of the medical team responsible for the care, according to the state of the art

• Unconsciousness due to irreversible neurological or psychiatric disease, complicated by respiratory, renal or cardiac

• Others

HEALTHCARE TO BE RECEIVED / NOT RECEIVED

• Do not undergo cardio-respiratory breathing 

• Not being subjected to invasive means of artificial support of vital functions 

• Not be submitted to artificial feeding and hydration measures that only aim to reverse the natural process of death

• Participate in experimental phase studies, scientific research or clinical trials

• Do not undergo treatments that are in the experimental phase

• Refuse participation in scientific research programs or clinical trials

• Interrupting treatments that are in the experimental phase or participation in research programs or clinical trials, for which it has given prior

• Do not allow administration of blood and blood products

• Receive palliative measures, minimal or subcutaneous oral hydration

• The drugs necessary to effectively control pain and other symptoms that may cause me suffering, distress or malaise may be administered

• Receiving religious assistance when deciding to discontinue artificial means of living (belief: __________________)

• To have close to me, for a suitable time and when it is decided to interrupt artificial means of life, the person I designate here: ____________ (name), ___________ (contact).

• Others

• Other personal considerations or possible motivations of my decisions.

VALIDITY

1. This declaration is effective for 5 years from the date of its signature, and may be renewed in accordance with Law No. 25/2012, of July 16.

2. If RENTEV is requested to register, it will only take effect upon receipt by the grantor of the information completion of the process.

NOTE:

1. Before subscribing to this document, it is recommended that you discuss the matter in advance with a health professional you trust, or

2. You can choose to subscribe to the Advance Declaration of Will, by appointing a health care proxy, or by both.

        the healthcare team that cares for you. 

The last page is reserved for the signatures of the applicant, the Doctor (if desired) or the Notary.

The user must submit the DAV declaration on paper, recognized by the notary or with a face-to-face signature from an employee of your local Centro de Saúde.