title: Laws can be unethical.
abstract: ICU teams have the difficult emotional burden of continuing complex life-sustaining therapy beyond the limits of what is felt to be reasonable. Among the reasons leading to a delay in the withdrawal of intensive therapy is the unwillingness or unpreparedness of the team or family members, or inadequate laws. We all have the responsibility to promote a legal framework allowing end-of-life decisions that ensure the autonomy, dignity and integrity of all citizens, in addition to the humane practice of medicine.
authors.affiliation: Centre Médical Universitaire, University of Geneva, CH-1204 Geneva, Switzerland. peter.suter@unige.ch
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Suter
mesh_terms: D003422:Critical Care / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans