Can I refuse antibiotics, hospital transfer, tube feeding or other treatment in advance?
You may be able to refuse treatments in advance, but the document must meet your state or territory rules and be clear enough to guide care.
Often, yes. In Australia, advance care planning can let you refuse some future medical treatments if you later cannot decide for yourself. This may include antibiotics, hospital transfer, CPR, ventilation, tube feeding or artificial hydration, depending on the law where you live and the situation described.
The safest approach is to use the correct form for your state or territory and discuss it with your doctor.
General information: This page gives general information for people in Australia. Advance care directive law differs between states and territories. Get state-specific medical or legal advice before relying on a treatment refusal.
Be clear about the situation
A useful instruction says both what treatment you refuse and when the refusal should apply. For example, a person may want antibiotics for a simple infection now, but not if they are dying and the antibiotics would only prolong dying.
Doctors need enough detail to apply the instruction safely.
Some treatments are not simple choices
Hospital transfer might help if a broken bone can be treated and the person can return home. It may not help if the person is dying and wants comfort care at home.
Tube feeding or IV fluids can help in some conditions, but near the end of life they may not improve comfort and may cause burdens. The right plan depends on the illness, goals, benefits and harms.
Tell the right people
Give copies to your GP, hospital, aged care home, substitute decision maker and close family if you are comfortable doing so. Keep a copy where it can be found in an emergency.
When to get help now
Call the treating team urgently if there is disagreement about a treatment refusal, if the person seems distressed, or if staff cannot find the document. Call 000 for an immediate life-threatening emergency unless there is a clear plan saying not to.
You may also want to read
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What can an advance care directive do if it cannot request VAD?
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What happens if the family disagrees about treatment at the end of life?