<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>65220</law_id><section_number>54.1-2986</section_number><catch_line>Procedure in absence of an advance directive; procedure for advance directive without agent; no presumption; persons who may authorize health care for patients incapable of informed decisions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>32.1-127</reference><reference>32.1-138.1</reference><reference>37.2-817.1</reference><reference>54.1-2983.2</reference><reference>54.1-2984</reference><reference>54.1-2986.1</reference><reference>54.1-2986.2</reference><reference>54.1-2987</reference><reference>54.1-2988</reference><reference>54.1-2990</reference><reference>63.2-1605</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="54.1">Professions and Occupations</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="29">Medicine and Other Healing Arts</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="8">Health Care Decisions Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Whenever a patient is determined to be <span class="dictionary">incapable of making an informed decision</span> and (i) has not made an <span class="dictionary">advance directive</span> in accordance with this article or (ii) has made an <span class="dictionary">advance directive</span> in accordance with this article that does not indicate his wishes with respect to the <span class="dictionary">health care</span> at <span class="dictionary">issue</span> and does not appoint an <span class="dictionary">agent</span>, the <span class="dictionary">attending physician</span> may, upon compliance with the provisions of this section, provide, continue, withhold or withdraw <span class="dictionary">health care</span> upon the authorization of any of the following persons, in the specified <span class="dictionary">order</span> of priority, if the physician is not aware of any available, willing and capable person in a higher class: <a id="paragraph-237203" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2986/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> A guardian for the patient. This subdivision shall not be construed to require such appointment in <span class="dictionary">order</span> that a <span class="dictionary">health care</span> decision can be made under this section; or <a id="paragraph-237204" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2986/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The patient&#x2019;s spouse except where a divorce action has been filed and the divorce is not final; or <a id="paragraph-237205" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2986/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> An adult child of the patient; or <a id="paragraph-237206" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2986/#A3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> A parent of the patient; or <a id="paragraph-237207" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2986/#A4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> An adult brother or sister of the patient; or <a id="paragraph-237208" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2986/#A5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A6" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">6.</span> Any other relative of the patient in the descending <span class="dictionary">order</span> of blood relationship; or <a id="paragraph-237209" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2986/#A6"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A7" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">7.</span> Except in cases in which the proposed treatment recommendation involves the withholding or withdrawing of a <span class="dictionary">life-prolonging procedure</span>, any adult, except any director, employee, or <span class="dictionary">agent</span> of a <span class="dictionary">health care</span> provider currently involved in the care of the patient, who (i) has exhibited special care and concern for the patient and (ii) is familiar with the patient&#x2019;s religious beliefs and basic values and any preferences previously expressed by the patient regarding <span class="dictionary">health care</span>, to the extent that they are known. A quorum of a <span class="dictionary">patient care consulting committee</span> as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/54.1-2982/">54.1-2982</a> of the facility where the patient is receiving <span class="dictionary">health care</span> or, if such <span class="dictionary">patient care consulting committee</span> does not exist or if a quorum of such <span class="dictionary">patient care consulting committee</span> is not reasonably available, two <span class="dictionary">physicians</span> who (a) are not currently involved in the care of the patient, (b) are not employed by the facility where the patient is receiving <span class="dictionary">health care</span>, and (c) do not practice medicine in the same professional business entity as the <span class="dictionary">attending physician</span> shall determine whether a person meets these criteria and shall document the information relied upon in making such determination.
				If two or more of the persons listed in the same class in subdivisions A 3 through A 7 with equal decision-making priority inform the <span class="dictionary">attending physician</span> that they disagree as to a particular <span class="dictionary">health care</span> decision, the <span class="dictionary">attending physician</span> may rely on the authorization of a majority of the reasonably available members of that class. <a id="paragraph-237210" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2986/#A7"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Regardless of the absence of an <span class="dictionary">advance directive</span>, if the patient has expressed his <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to be an organ donor in any written document, no person noted in this section shall revoke, or in any way hinder, such organ donation. <a id="paragraph-237211" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2986/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1983, c. 532, &#xA7; 54-325.8:6; 1988, c. 765; 1992, cc. 748, 772; 1999, c. 814; 2000, c. 810; 2005, c. 716; 2009, cc. 211, 268; 2010, c. 792.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
