The history of end-of-life treatment within the context of disability history is characterized by the tension between the medical-ethical establishment and the disability rights movement. This history is primarily defined by:

• Case Law: Key judicial rulings—including In re Quinlan (1976), Bouvia v. Superior Court (1986), and Washington v. Glucksberg (1997)—that established legal boundaries around the right of individuals to refuse life-sustaining treatment and the prohibition of assisted suicide.
• Movements & Organizations: Grassroots organizations like ADAPT and Not Dead Yet that campaigned against assisted suicide and life-termination policies, arguing that such practices often reflect societal prejudice and devalue disabled lives.
• Figures: Key legal and bioethical scholars (e.g., Robert Burt and Susan Tolle) who analyzed the dynamics of patient autonomy, medical paternalism, and quality of life assessments.