Can Doctors Be Compelled to Prolong the Life of a Dying Patient? The Ongoing Medical, Legal and Social Issues.

Abstract

The law does not require health professionals to provide medical treatment that is of no benefit to the patient. Despite this, medical staff who are caring for patients at the end of their lives frequently experience pressure from the patients' families to prolong their lives. This article considers the Australian law relating to the right to demand treatment when a loved one is dying, and whether an increasing emphasis on shared decision-making has introduced uncertainty. It discusses factors that affect the application of the law, including widespread ignorance of the law, the difficulty of deciding whether a treatment is futile and the need to ration scarce health care resources. It also introduces the perspectives of three senior medical practitioners on disputes with families of dying patients. The article concludes that community education is needed on legal and medical issues at the end of life, including conversations about advance care directives.