1. the right of patients to refuse treatment that may be potentially hazardous or intrusive, particularly when such treatment may not be in the best interests of the patient. In the United States, various state laws and court rulings support the right of patients to receive or reject certain treatments, but there is a lack of uniformity in such regulations. See also forced treatment.

2. the right of terminally ill patients (e.g., those on life-support systems) to refuse treatment intended to prolong their lives. See also right to die.