Canada's Supreme Court has rules that doctors cannot take an Ontario man off life support without his family's consent.

Hassan Rasouli has been in a coma since 2010. For religious reasons, his wife has objected to the doctors' decision that her husband's life support should be withdrawn. 

The Supreme Court ruled narrowly under the Ontario law, known as the Health Care Consent Act, that doctors could not withdraw life support unilaterally, but that they may do so with the backing of a special panel.

As of now, Rasouli's doctors have opted not to seek the advice of a provincial board to overrule his family's wishes.