Care of the dying. Studies look for humane ways of withdrawing treatment.

Abstract

Applying the principles of decision making to end-of-life situations has been discussed at length in the medical ethics literature, but published accounts of actual experiences encountered when life-sustaining interventions are withdrawn have been limited. Once the decision is made to withdraw treatment and the goal of care shifts from cure to palliation, attention must be given to the clinical and ethical processes involved in extricating patients from their high-tech dependencies. The following articles summarize the work of several groups that are trying to define what ought to be done on behalf of these patients.