Introduction: Modern medicine has made great advances in the last century, resulting in a longer life expectancy and improved quality of life. However, these advances have not been realised as far as death is concerned. A good dying is today the privilege of a few. The person about to die claims his or her right to a dignified end. Their request goes more often than not unheard by healthcare professionals. The Patient Autonomy Law, with the regulation of the living will or anticipated wishes, represents a switch in this sense.
Development: The objective of this work is to provide information of the currently in force norms and regulations governing the living will or anticipated wishes by performing a critical review of the existing legislation.
Conclusions: The ultimate goal of health care is to win over disease, to alleviate suffering and to promote self-care. To these affirmations we should add a fourth element: to permit the dying person to have a dignified death. The recognition of the living will as a right of the patient represents a first step towards the construction of a more and more humane society.