An "Advance Directive" is a legal document (as a living will) signed by a living competent person in order to provide guidance for medical and health-care decisions (as the termination of life support and organ donation) in the event that the person becomes incompetent to make such decisions.
SOURCE: "advance directive." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2005.http://www.merriam-webster.com (March 21, 2005). 
See also Advance Directives from the MedlinePlus® Encyclopedia.

Keywords and alternate phrases to use:  

• Advance Directive Basics © 2000-2005 The American Academy of Family Physicians.
• American Bar Association's "10 Legal Myths about Advance Medical Directives"
• American Cancer Society’s Introduction to Advance Directives Copyright 2005 © American Cancer Society, Inc.
• End of Life Planning  from the Family Caregiver Alliance
• Ethical Issues and End-of-Life Planning from Beth Israel Medical Center
• A Guidebook on Health Care Proxy Laws New York State Department of Health  
• The Living Will: A Guide To Health Care Decision Making published by Hodgson Russ LLP ©Jack Freer and Liz Clark, Esq.
• "Make your medical care wishes known" from the Mayo Clinic® 
• U.S. Living Will Registry ® electronically stores advance directives, and makes them available to health care providers 24 hours/day via secure Internet or telephone -facsimile.Copyright © 1999 – 2005 U.S. Living Will Registry ®. All Rights Reserved.

SUPPORTS doctor-assisted suicide: Compassion and Choices © 2005 All Rights Reserved. "Compassion & Choices is a nonprofit organization  working to improve care and expand choice at the end of life."

OPPOSES doctor-assisted suicide: 

• Not Dead Yet "Killing is not just another medical treatment option, and it must not be made any part of routine health care." 
• Physicians for Compassionate Care Educational Foundation © Copyright 2001 - 2006