Civil law aspects of the provision of palliative care Abstract This dissertation focuses on topics related to the area of intensive medicine and palliative care. In particular, the clinical environment where legal controversies related to the confrontation of two different approaches, curative and palliative, are discussed. The dissertation follows the structure of the medical law area in common law often called "Law at the end of life". The first part of the dissertation is dedicated to an analysis of relevant concepts in a more general fashion. This includes the concept of medical futility, the legal distinction between 'withholding' and 'withdrawing' life-sustaining treatment and euthanasia. One chapter focuses on the decision-making process at the end of life, and the ways of solving conflicts amongst persons involved in the process. Another chapter is dedicated to a detailed analysis of the Czech regulation of advance directives. The second part of the dissertation focuses on specific issues related to the provision of care at the end of life. These include decisions related to cardiopulmonary resuscitation and DNR orders, the deactivation of pacemakers, and palliative sedation. The final part of the dissertation provides legal analysis of specific cases from clinical practice. The dissertation...