Medical Ethics: When a Patient Refuses Life-Saving Treatment

  Medical Ethics: When a Patient Refuses Life-Saving Treatment

    I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how medicine sometimes intersects with other fields, especially law. When doctors (and other medical staff) work, they often have to make tough decisions. Not just high-tension, instant choices like you might see on TV, but ethical or moral dilemmas they might face over a longer period of time. Here is one thing I’ve considered that seems like a difficult decision to make;

How should doctors handle patients who refuse treatment that could save their lives?

Despite what I stated in the introduction, this could potentially be life or death. Sometimes, a patient might need emergency surgery, a blood transfusion, or an organ removal to save their life (among other things). However, not every patient wants that, generally for personal reasons. So, what should a doctor, whose job is to prevent death, do in that situation?

    I think that they need to first ensure that the patient is fully aware and acknowledges their risk of death at that moment, and how serious the situation could be. Once the doctor is certain that the patient is fully aware of their decision, they can proceed to offer alternative options based on why the patient refused treatment. Maybe there is something else the doctor can do to temporarily prolong the life of the patient, or there are riskier surgeries or medications that may or may not work. Finally, if the patient truly does not consent to the treatment, then the doctor should respect that decision. It’s their job to act in the patient’s best interests, and if the doctor is unable to change their mind, then so be it.

    In conclusion, it’s the patient’s choice as to whether they would like a certain treatment or not. I believe that as long as the person is fully aware of what they are agreeing to, the doctor’s role is to guide and inform — but ultimately respect that decision, even if it’s difficult.

     What do you think? Should the patient have to take the treatment, or should the doctor be trying harder to convince them? Share your thoughts in the comments, and reach out if you have any ideas or suggestions for other posts or topics you’d like to learn more about!