In this paper, we examine in closer detail the ethical implications of medical futility. Section one introduces an illustrative case involving a clearly futile medical treatment. Section two outlines three contrasting positions ...

The paper explores the ethical and psychological issues that arise when family members request that "everything possible" be done for a particular patient. The paper first illustrates this phenomenon by reviewing the well ...

The expense of caring for growing numbers of older individuals can create strong incentives to ration health care based on age. While not directed explicitly at women, this form of rationing would affect women disproportionately ...

Six years ago, we proposed a patient benefit-centered definition of medical futility that included both quantitative and qualitative components. We distinguished between an effect of a treatment that is limited to some ...

...Informal conversations amongst clinicians and patients point to the concern that life-sustaining treatment may lead to prolonged life under unacceptable circumstances....Previous research has identified specific circumstances ...