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Case Summary: Landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court on the issue of abortion. The Court ruled that a state law that banned abortions except to save the life of the mother was unconstitutional. Ethical Implications: This case highlights the conflict between patient autonomy, the rights of the unborn, and state interests, sparking ongoing ethical and legal debates.

Case Summary: The Supreme Court ruled that there was no constitutional right to physician-assisted suicide, but the decision gave individual states the authority to legislate on this issue. Ethical Implications: The case opened up a national dialogue on physician-assisted suicide, challenging the balance between patient autonomy and ethical concerns around end-of-life choices.

Case Summary: A landmark decision by the Supreme Court surrounding an individual's right to refuse life-sustaining treatment. It involved Nancy Cruzan, who was in a persistent vegetative state. Ethical Implications: This case focused on the right to die and the need for clear evidence of patient's wishes for medical decisions when they cannot communicate.

Case Summary: Karen Ann Quinlan fell into a persistent vegetative state, and her parents sought the right to disconnect her from a ventilator. The court ruled in favor of the parents' right to make that decision. Ethical Implications: It's one of the first cases to address the right to die and the role of surrogate decision-making in end-of-life care.

Case Summary: The Supreme Court upheld the Oregon Death with Dignity Act, which allowed for physician-assisted suicide under certain conditions. Ethical Implications: Raises questions about the ethical bounds of state legislation in allowing terminally ill patients to choose their time of death.

Case Summary: In this case, the California Supreme Court held that mental health professionals have a duty to protect identifiable individuals from threats made by a patient. Ethical Implications: This case had significant impact on the limits of patient confidentiality and the ethical responsibility to warn potential victims of harm.

Case Summary: A patient consented only to examination under anesthesia. The doctors performed surgery, leading to complications. Ethical Implications: The case established the principle that doctors must obtain consent before performing a procedure, underlining the importance of patient autonomy in medical ethics.