Medical Decision-Making at the End of Life

In this chapter the authors describe the ethical challenges facing clinicians at the end of life with a particular view to global challenges. A principled approach is taken to objectively assess patients and their wishes, incorporating that of the family. Whilst looking at the global wider context, the authors focus also on the specific nature of tackling issues of respecting the autonomy of patients, the principles of beneficence and non-maleficence, and justice in health care with respect to end-of-life decisions. The moral challenges involved and withdrawing of treatment can be very culturally elusive but can have common ground when taking an approach appropriate to the context of patients and their families.