Nancy Quinlan

Nancy Quinlan was a significant figure in the right-to-die movement in the United States. She became known in the 1970s after she fell into a persistent vegetative state due to a drug overdose. Her family's legal battle for the right to withdraw life support raised important ethical and legal questions about medical treatment, patient autonomy, and the definition of death. This case culminated in a landmark 1976 court decision that recognized a patient's right to refuse treatment. Quinlan's story has since influenced discussions on end-of-life issues and patients' rights in medical care.