title: Medical futility and care of dying patients.
abstract: In this article, I address ethical concerns related to forgoing futile medical treatment in terminally ill and dying patients. Any discussion of medical futility should emphasize that health professionals and health care institutions have ethical responsibilities regarding medical futility. Among the topics I address are communicating with patients and families, resolving possible conflicts, and developing professional standards. Finally, I explore why acknowledging the futility of life-prolonging medical interventions can be so difficult for patients, families, and health professionals.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Medical History and Ethics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle 98195-7120, USA.
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Jecker
mesh_terms: D026686:Beneficence; D032921:Consensus; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D018447:Medical Futility; D028681:Moral Obligations; D010166:Palliative Care; D010348:Patient Care Team; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010819:Physician's Role; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012945:Social Values; D035502:Trust; D028761:Withholding Treatment