Full Answer
Should physicians say “no” to futile treatments?
Before physicians declare a given action futile they must deliberatively weigh medical effectiveness with benefits and harms perceived by both medical professionals and patients or their families.13 Second, physicians should not initially just say “no” to patients concerning futile treatments, but must engage in dialog and discuss alternatives.
Is medical futility always directed toward clinical outcome?
This article has illuminated that medical futility must always be directed toward a discreet clinical outcome. Providing ongoing care for patients is never futile. Negotiating care when either the physician or family believes treatments are futile is a delicate process built upon respect of both patient and professional values.
How do you determine if a treatment is medically futile?
In the absence of a clearly articulated standard, physicians may find it helpful to consider the following points when determining if a treatment is medically futile: The goal of the treatment in question. Physicians may want to clarify with patients the rationale for different treatment options.
How should physician decision-making be made when making futility judgments?
Physicians should follow professional standards, and should consider empirical studies and their own clinical experience when making futility judgments. They should also show sensitivity to patients and families in carrying out decisions to withhold or withdraw futile interventions.
How is medical futility determined?
Who decides when a particular treatment is futile? Generally the term medical futility applies when, based on medical data and professional experience, a treating health care provider determines that an intervention is no longer beneficial.
Who is involved in determining the futility of a proposed treatment?
The patient or surrogate may file an action asking a court to order that the "futile" treatment be administered. Likewise, a physician or institution may petition the court for an order that futile treatment not be initiated or, if already initiated, be discontinued, as in the Wanglie case [12].
When should a medical treatment be considered futile?
Treatment is medically futile or non-beneficial because it offers no reasonable hope of recovery or improvement, or because the patient is permanently unable to experience any benefit. “Treatments that offer no physiological benefits to the patient are futile” (p. 888).
What does it mean for a treatment option to be medically futile?
Medical futility means that the proposed therapy should not be performed because available data show that it will not improve the patient's medical condition. Medical futility remains ethically controversial for several reasons.
What is a medical futility law?
The term medical futility refers to a physician's determination that a therapy will be of no benefit to a patient and therefore should not be prescribed. But physicians use a variety of methods to make these determinations and may not arrive at the same conclusions.
What is a futile situation?
1 : serving no useful purpose : completely ineffective efforts to convince him were futile. 2 : occupied with trifles : frivolous.
Acknowledgement
Wesley J. Smith, "Who decides when care is 'futile'?" National Post, (Canada) 23 November, 1998.
The Author
Wesley J. Smith is an American lawyer and author and a Senior Fellow at the Discovery Institute's Center on Human Exceptionalism. In 2004 he was named by the National Journal as one of the nation’s top expert thinkers in bioengineering for his work in bioethics. He is among the world's foremost critics of assisted suicide and utilitarian bioethics.
What is medical futility?
What is "medical futility"? "Medical futility" refers to interventions that are unlikely to produce any significant benefit for the patient. Two kinds of medical futility are often distinguished: Quantitative futility, where the likelihood that an intervention will benefit the patient is exceedingly poor, and.
What is futility in medicine?
"Medical futility" refers to interventions that are unlikely to produce any significant benefit for the patient. Two kinds of medical futility are often distinguished: 1 Quantitative futility, where the likelihood that an intervention will benefit the patient is exceedingly poor, and 2 Qualitative futility, where the quality of benefit an intervention will produce is exceedingly poor.
What is the ethical authority of a physician?
While physicians have the ethical authority to withhold or withdraw medically futile interventions, communicating with professional colleagues involved in a patient’s care, and with patients and family , greatly improves the experience and outcome for all.
What should physicians consider when making futility judgments?
Physicians should follow professional standards, and should consider empirical studies and their own clinical experience when making futility judgments. They should also show sensitivity to patients and families in carrying out decisions to withhold or withdraw futile interventions.
What is medical futility?
What is "medical futility"? "Medical futility" refers to interventions that are unlikely to produce any significant benefit for the patient. Two kinds of medical futility are often distinguished: Quantitative futility, where the likelihood that an intervention will benefit the patient is exceedingly poor, and.
What is the ethical authority of a physician?
While physicians have the ethical authority to withhold or withdraw medically futile interventions, communicating with professional colleagues involved in a patient’s care, and with patients and family , greatly improves the experience and outcome for all.
What is futility in medical terms?
Futility establishes the negative determination that the evidence shows no significant likelihood of conferring a significant benefit. By contrast, treatments are considered experimental when empirical evidence is lacking and the effects of an intervention are unknown.
What is qualitative futility?
Qualitative futility, where the quality of benefit an intervention will produce is exceedingly poor. Both quantitative and qualitative futility refer to the prospect that a specific treatment will benefit (not simply have a physiological effect) on the patient.
What is UW Dept of Bioethics and Humanities?
of Bioethics & Humanities is in the process of updating all Ethics in Medicine articles for attentiveness to the issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Please check back soon for updates!
Is it "futility" or "futility"?
In many cases, "futility" is used inaccurately to describe situations that appear undesirable. For this patient, treating pneumonia with antibiotics stands a reasonable chance of success. The patient's quality of life, though low, is not unacceptably so.
