Ethical considerations of medical nutritional therapy at end of life: the Israel perspective

The major ethical dilemma regarding feeding a person at the end of their life in Israel is related to the medical team's ability to not provide food. In addition to the medical indications, the decision-making process needs to include ethnic considerations, religious positions and a strong collective memory related to the Holocaust and post-Holocaust behavior. An Expert group of professionals regularly faced with these dilemmas gathered to address this issue. The group included Nutrition Specialists, Neurologists, Geriatricians, Oncologists and Specialists in palliative care, Nurses, Dieticians, Speech therapists but also Lawyers and Religion experts.