Analysis of “Do Not Resuscitate” Order in Patients without Established Life based on the Article 372 of the Islamic Penal Code

In the present era, it is possible to maintain vital organs considering the major advances in medical science. Saving the lives of patients and resuscitation their life is possible through medical science and instruments. Although the use of medical instruments is beneficial in most cases and have satisfactory results, but in some cases, severe disorders are observed in function of vital organs because of  aging, systemic disease, and the other similar factors so that the medical science is unable to treatment the diseases and no action can be taken to maintain patient's life. This topic has led to discussions about “do not resuscitation” order in the face of these patients. Although philosophical and moral discussions have been raised in this regard it can also be investigated in terms of the legal perspective. The aim of the present study was to analysis of “do not resuscitation” order in patients without established life based on article 372 of the Islamic penal code.

It is possible to criminalization of the medical staff in terms of their nonintervention in the resuscitation of dying patients using the opposite concept of article 372 of the Islamic penal code.