This book surveys the clinical, ethical, religious, legal, economic and personal dimensions of decision making in situations when the choice is between extending costly medical treatment of uncertain effectiveness, or terminating treatment thereby ending the patient's life. Contributors from various disciplines offer perspectives on issues ranging from the definition of medical futility to the implications for care in various clinical settings. Medical Futility will be obligatory reading for health care professionals, students and scholars concerned with ethical standards in medical care.

Zucker, Marjorie B. (Choice In Dying, New York); Zucker, Howard D. (Mount Sinai School of Medicine)The contributors represent the specialties of bioethics, psychiatry, and pediatrics. Most are from U.S. universities and medical centers, including Univ of Pennsylvania, Univ of Pittsburgh, Mt. Sinai Medical Center, and Midwest Bioethics Center.

Tags: medical futility