The fiction of futility: what to do with policy?

This paper addresses the topic of medical futility as fiction in light of legislation, policy, and practice. The term medical futility as it has come to be used in modern bioethical discourse is confusing because it is both descriptive and prescriptive. That is, it is meant to both describe a clinic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:HEC forum 2005-12, Vol.17 (4), p.294-307
Main Authors: Anderson-Shaw, Lisa, Meadow, William, Leeds, Hilary S, Lantos, John J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bioethics
Decision making
Epidemiology
Evidence-based medicine
Health administration
Legislation, Medical
Life support systems
Medical ethics
Medical futility
Medical Futility - legislation & jurisprudence
Medical technology
Medical treatment
Medicine
Organizational Policy
Patients
Patients rights
Physicians
Practice Patterns, Physicians
Right to die
Studies
Truth Disclosure
United States
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Summary:This paper addresses the topic of medical futility as fiction in light of legislation, policy, and practice. The term medical futility as it has come to be used in modern bioethical discourse is confusing because it is both descriptive and prescriptive. That is, it is meant to both describe a clinical situation and also prescribe what actions should be taken once that descriptive goal has been attained. The two meanings make the term both confused and confusing. We see it more as a figure of speech than as a state of reality. In one sense, all medical care is futile, as, in the end, we all die. Nonetheless, there is a continuum. Some interventions prolong survival more effectively than others.
ISSN:0956-2737
1572-8498
DOI:10.1007/s10730-005-5155-x