Even in Italy there is a need to address the issue of ownership and
the criteria for deciding when the patient becomes incompetent, in
compliance with fundamental ethical principles of respect for autonomy
and beneficence: advance care directives can serve to enhance
patient’s autonomy but, beyond respect for autonomy… advance directives
may also contribute to the patient’s good…indeed, by means of
advance directives, patients are entitled to refuse treatments when they
consider that they would be more harmful than helpful