Karen Ann Quinlan

Karen Ann Quinlan was a young woman who, in 1975, fell into a coma after a drug overdose. She was placed on a ventilator but remained in a persistent vegetative state. Her parents sought to remove her from life support, leading to a landmark legal case in the U.S. in 1976. The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that patients have the right to refuse medical treatment, allowing her parents to disconnect her ventilator. Quinlan lived for nearly a decade in a care facility before passing away in 1985. This case significantly impacted discussions around patient autonomy and end-of-life decisions.