A New Style of End-of-life Cases: A Patient’s Right to Demand Treatment or a Physician’s Right to Refuse Treatment? The Futility Debate Revisited

Abstract

Abstract A classic end-of-life conflict between a physician and a patient concerns a patient’s refusal of care. New conflicts have begun to emerge. This time the patient wants treatment while the physician refuses treatment based on a futility judgment. Most of the time the predominance of the physician’s view is stressed. In this article this predominance is critically analysed resulting in a re-appraisal of the patient’s will.