Peer-reviewed article
Intractable Disagreements About Futility
This paper discusses the inevitable ambiguity of the language that we use to describe events that are rare and emotionally devastating. A search for precision in such circumstances may distract from more important issues. Neither families…
This paper discusses the inevitable ambiguity of the language that we use to describe events that are rare and emotionally devastating. A search for precision in such circumstances may distract from more important issues. Neither families nor doctors need more precise language. Instead, they need more trust, more emotional transparency, and a recognition by doctors of the tragic nature of the decision they face.
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About the author
John D. Lantos is a pediatrician and bioethicist writing on AI in medicine, neonatal intensive care, and end-of-life decisions. His essays appear in JAMA, JAMA Pediatrics, the Hastings Center Report, the New England Journal of Medicine, and Aeon. Read more about John.