Call for durable healthcare proxy in Advance Directives Bill
A position paper issued by University academics and senior clinical staff
14/04/2026Photo: RDNE Stock project
An interdisciplinary group of academics from the University of Malta and senior clinical staff at Mater Dei Hospital is recommending the inclusion of a durable power of attorney for healthcare in Malta’s proposed Advance Medical Directives Act, warning that its omission causes a significant ethical and clinical gap.
In a position paper, the group says that a trusted healthcare proxy provides a more flexible and ethically robust safeguard than a static written directive.
A proxy, they note, can interpret a patient’s wishes in light of unforeseen medical circumstances, which a document drafted years in advance may not adequately anticipate… Read more »














