Question

When should a medical treatment be considered futile?

What standards and/or conditions do you believe need to be met in order for a treatment to be properly considered futile?

What standards/conditions do you reject?  

Answer 1

Ans) Futile medical care is the continued provision of medical care or treatment to a patient when there is no reasonable hope of a cure or benefit. Some proponents of evidence-based medicine suggest discontinuing the use of any treatment that has not been shown to provide a measurable benefit.

- As professionals dedicated to protecting the well-being of patients, physicians have an ethical obligation to provide care in cases of medical emergency. However, physicians are not ethically required to accept all prospective patients. Physicians should be thoughtful in exercising their right to choose whom to serve.

- Arguments against providing futile care include potential harm to patients, family members, or caregivers with little or no likely benefits, and the diversion of resources to support the futile care of patients when resources could be used to provide care to patients that could respond to care.