title: Withdrawing medically futile treatment.
abstract: Physicians confront clinical and ethical dilemmas when their patients wish to continue treatments they have deemed futile; they must consider ethical obligations in deciding whether treatment should be withdrawn and in transferring patients from futile treatment to supportive care.
authors.forename: Dianna S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: Timothy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Pawlik