ABSTRACT
On February 20, 2000 the minister of health appointed Professor Avraham Steinberg, a Medical Ethicist and a Pediatric Neurologist, to head a national committee for enacting a law that will regulate all matters concerning the dying patient in Israel. The proposed law is a detailed document of principles and practical applications, which represent a balance between opposing values and positions. This balance is appropriate for the current culture and society of Israel, which is based upon Jewish and democratic values. The actual behavior of health-care professionals in Israel toward dying patients is unknown. There are only a few sporadic studies from specific units and hospitals in Israel concerning Do Not Resuscitate orders. Since the attitude toward the dying patient is a highly loaded issue, and since there are many varied and opposing approaches to the matter, it was decided to establish a wide committee that will represent all the relevant aspects.
