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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>74741</law_id><section_number>54.1-2992</section_number><catch_line>Preservation of existing rights</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><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><p>The provisions of this article are cumulative with existing law and shall not be construed to modify an individual&#x2019;s right to consent or refuse to consent to medical treatment if he is capable of making an informed decision, or to alter or limit the authority that otherwise exists under the <span class="dictionary">common law</span>, <span class="dictionary">statutes</span> or regulations of the Commonwealth (i) of a <span class="dictionary">health care</span> provider to provide <span class="dictionary">health care</span>; or (ii) of a person&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">agent</span>, guardian or other legally authorized representative to make decisions on behalf of a person who is <span class="dictionary">incapable of making an informed decision</span>. The provisions of this article shall not impair any existing rights or responsibilities which a <span class="dictionary">health care</span> provider, a patient, including a <span class="dictionary">minor</span> or incapacitated patient, or a patient&#x2019;s family may have in regard to the providing, continuing, withholding or withdrawal of life-prolonging medical procedures under the <span class="dictionary">common law</span> or <span class="dictionary">statutes</span> of the Commonwealth; however, this section shall not be construed to authorize violations of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Medically unnecessary health care not required; procedure when physician refuses to comply with an advance directive or a designated person's health care decision; mercy killing or euthanasia prohibited" href="/54.1-2990/">54.1-2990</a>.</p></section></text><history>1983, c. 532, &#xA7; 54-325.8:12; 1988, c. 765; 1992, cc. 748, 772; 1997, c. 801; 2000, cc. 590, 598; 2009, cc. 211, 268.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
